Cleverest
by DWF222
Summary: Elizabeth Whitaker. Orphan. Dirt. Worthless. That's what I was told, and I believed it for years. Then a cheeky and clever man came and told me otherwise. I am the lightning in the oncoming storm, the goddess without a home. All the lies of my past are surfacing. Everything from the death of my mother to my father's identity. Lies, all lies. Who is this clever girl? Ask the stars.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Okay so to start off I don't own Doctor Who, but Elizabeth/Ava is of my own creation. Most of the aliens of this fanfiction are owned by Doctor Who except the Reichlon virus. I created that. Anyway this is my first fanfiction EVER, but I've had some experience through reading my best friend's. This is also my first time posting my writing online so I would love your reviews and opinions! There's always room to improve, right? Therefore always be completely honest, and don't sugarcoat anything! I love to write, and always strive for a chance at making my writing better! I hope you enjoy!**

"Hold on I know I have enough money," I state, digging through my tattered, cotton pouch for the sixty seven cents I need.

"Miss Whitaker I don't have all day. Do you have the money or not?" Mr. Jackson huffs.

"I am so sorry. Just another moment please," I plead.

"Rose! Stop you're going to make me-" Before I can even step out of the way I am sent sprawling to the floor, my little change purse flying across the hardwood floor.

"Excuse me miss. I am so sorry. See what ya did Rose?" The man apologizes taking my hand. A young blonde woman behind him giggles, and apologizes too.

"No, it is fine. Now where is my change purse?" I assure, brushing off the skirt of my royal blue gown.

"Oh right. Sorry about that too," he responds with a thick British accent. We search along the floor, and find the contents spilled out across the store. We both start snatching up the pennies, dimes, and nickels. Then all of a sudden he freezes. He fingers my pocket watch, running his fingers over the intricate designs on the metal top.

"Where did you get this?" He asks in a serious tone. His face remains straight and emotionless as he toys with the watch.

"I don't know. I-" I start.

"I need to know where you got this watch from. Think," he interrupts. Taken aback by his bluntness, I shrug my shoulders.

"That's the thing I do not know where I got it. I have had it for as long as I can remember."

"Come with me. I need to speak with you alone," he urges, yanking me from the floor. I stuff the rest of my belongings into the pouch, and follow behind him.

"Wait what about my purchases?" I remind as he pulls me toward the door. He sighs, and returns to the counter. He slams a twenty down on the wood, and grabs the gray, cotton fabric.

"Keep the change," he calls, dragging me out the door. He tugs me along the dirt road, his lady friend trailing behind.

"Sir, may I ask where you got all that money? You must be rich beyond belief to be able to spend twenty dollars on fabric worth only $1.25," I inquire.

"Not important. Now what is important is this watch that you possess," he disregards, turning into a damp alley.

"Sir, I don't recall you mentioning your name either."

"Not relevant. Now where are you parents?" He orders. He wears a chocolate brown pin stripe suit, a white collared shirt, and a matching brown tie. Strange.

"I will say once you reveal you're name to me," I demand crossing my arms.

"The Doctor. Now would you _please_ tell me where your mum and dad are," he answers in an aggravated tone.

"You're joking, right? You're name cannot be _The Doctor_," I reason with a laugh.

"No, it really is. Trust me. Now your parents?" The woman answers for the first time. Her bleach blonde hair is tied back into a bun, and she dons a hideous green dress.

"Well, I am an orphan. My parents died when I was young. I've lived in the Gettysburg Orphanage ever since. But please do not tell Mrs. Carmichael that I spoke with you. She does not like us talking to anyone," I beg.

"Don't worry I won't tell her. Now what is your name?" he questions with a soft smile.

"Elizabeth Whitaker."

"Okay, Elizabeth. Come walk with me. There are things I need to tell you," he lures, gesturing me to follow him.

"As _interesting_ as that sounds I will have to decline. Mrs. Carmichael will have a fit if I am home late. I do not wish to travel down that path."

"Oh I'm sure you can be a few minutes late. After all you are with _The Doctor_," He reassures.

"Okay." He holds out his arm, and I hesitantly take it. We begin to walk, but just as he is about to speak we turn around to see Rose following us.

"Rose, I need to speak with Elizabeth." She nods and smiles, but does not budge. "_Alone_," he emphasizes. She shakes her head, and blushes.

"Of course. Meet me by the TARDIS, yeah?"

"Yeah." She scurries off in the other direction, her atrocious dress billowing behind her. "Now that we are completely alone how old are you, Elizabeth?"

"15 as of last week," I retort, looking around anxiously. If Mrs. Carmichael found out I was dallying with a man twice my age I would get the beating of a lifetime.

"Now do you remember what happened to your parents? Anything at all?" The Doctor continues.

"Nothing much, just that it was very dark, but all of a sudden it got bright. Besides that I know nothing," I repeat.

"And you're sure that you don't remember anything about the watch either?" He persists.

"All I know is that it was my parents' watch. My mother gave it to me when I was little. Nothing beyond that. Why are you so curious anyway? It's just a pocket watch, and I am just a poor orphan with nothing." The Doctor looks away at the ground, shaking his head. He then looks to the watch and begins examining it carefully.

"Impossible. Simply unbelievable," he breathes.

"It's a pocket watch. What's so fascinating?" I ask.

"Have you ever opened it?"

"No, it's broken. Luckily I never have had to use it. Doctor, it is only a pocket watch I tell you. Nothing more," I insist.

"No, this is not just a fob watch. It is _your_ fob watch. It's not broken either. Now you're going to think I'm completely mad, but listen to what I tell you. You are like me," the Doctor begins.

"Well, of course you are like me, Doctor. What else could you or I be?" I laugh, but his face remains serious.

"No that is the thing we are not human. We are the last of our kind. Our people were wiped out after the Last Great Time War. The war was fought between the Daleks and the Time Lords, and the Time Lords were completely annihilated. I was the only one to survive, well except for you. You, Elizabeth Whitaker, are not who you think you are. You and I are the last of the Time Lords," he blurts out. I stop a moment, and burst out laughing.

"Doctor, you really got me there for a moment. You really had me hanging on to every word. Now really tell me what you mean," I giggle. He stands there dumbfounded before turning to stand in front of me. He holds my face in his hands, and looks me dead in the eyes. His medium brown eyes bore into me, and his lips form a somber line across his face.

"_Listen to me_. I know it is difficult to believe me, but you've got to. That fob watch you have is not a regular fob watch. It disguises you as a human. You forgot who you really are, and where you came from. When you open the watch it reveals to you your true identity, and then you can return to your true form. Your mother told you not to open it because she wanted to protect you from the Daleks. She sent you away into hiding so that you could live. You are the last of my people." I wrench myself free of his grasp, and I begin to quiver uncontrollably.

"I don't know who you are, and what kind of awful trick you're playing on me, but I am done being a pawn in your chess game, _Doctor_. You are obviously a lunatic and could use some professional help. Now I best be off to the orphanage, Mrs. Carmichael will be waiting for me. Goodbye," I snap, snatching my pocket watch from his palm. I start to walk away, leaving him stranded in the middle of the field we meandered into. The bending grass laps at my ankles, but a familiar voice stops me in my tracks.

"Elizabeth Alexandria Whitaker. You're not going back to the orphanage. Not yet at least. You are planning on taking a detour to your lover's house. Jonathon Delmont, yeah? Handsome bloke." he states. I spin around, mouth gaping open. My cheeks turn rosy pink, and I tuck a loose strand of raven black hair behind my ear.

"How…did-" I stammer. He points to his head.

"I can see everything, from before the earth to beyond its death. That and I saw you and him outside his house earlier. No matter. Now about that watch…" The Doctor drawls. I finger the familiar metal.

"This is completely and utterly foolish, but I'll open the watch on one condition, and one condition only. When nothing happens-" I reply confidently.

"_If_ nothing happens, which something will," he mutters under his breath.

"When _nothing_ happens I want you to leave this town, and never come back. Am I clear?"

"Crystal. Now get on with it," he urges. I lick my dry, cracked lips and close my eyes. _Nothing will happen_. Just remember. _Nothing will happen_. He is just a madman. My pulse quickens, as I pull the lid back to reveal the face. I feel a jolt within my body, and my head flies backward. Electricity runs through my veins as memories come flooding back to me; my mother and father's faces, the Daleks running rampant all over Gallifrey, thousands of Time Lords perishing before they could properly regenerate. I was so young, and I could see the pain in my parents' eyes as they looked at the world around them. The peaceful land of Gallifrey where nothing could go wrong, that's what I used to think when I was a child. Stories of the brave Time Lords conquering everything they set out to do. That was until my mother cried for hours that horrible day in our history. Her parents had died trying to defend Gallifrey from the oncoming Daleks. There were no more stories after that. They only reminded her that as strong and brave as we are, we can die. We can die just like the Daleks we killed. They were so hollow so detached from what they were doing to our people. Not caring that our species was dying out. I wanted them all to die. I never felt that way before. I wanted them _all _dead. Slow painful deaths. I snap back to reality. The Doctor takes the watch from my hand, and gives me a small smile.

"Now come on we can talk more in my TARDIS. You'll be astonished; she's a real beauty, very modern," he laughs yanking me toward the town. I stand there a blank expression lingers on my face. I look straight ahead, not able to utter a single word, a syllable.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" he questions cautiously. I scream and scream _no_, but my mouth doesn't flinch. I will myself to speak, to make any kind of sound, but silence. My head buzzes with memories and thoughts, that can't possibly be processed and filed away at the rate at which they keep circulating.

"Elizabeth, say something!" The world becomes fuzzy and blurry. The colors melt into each other, and they begin to swirl and spin around me. I feel myself falling. Falling into the unknown. Then darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Enjoy and give feedback! :)**

My eyes flutter open. I blink them a few times trying to make out where I am. I only then realize that this is a TARDIS. I lean forward to sit up, but the Doctor gently pushes me back down.

"Not until you eat or drink something. You have been in and out of consciousness for almost two days." A dull pain lingers deep in my skull, and I wince at the touch of the soft pillow. He hands me a plate of crackers, and a glass of water. I scarf down the crackers and water, and profusely thank him for all his hospitality.

"Now what is your name, sweetheart?" he inquires, grinning.

"Avani," I croak. He clutches the bed, his knuckles turning white. The Doctor stares at the sheets, smiling to himself. His brown eyes shift around the bed, eventually turning to stare into my soft green eyes.

"It can't be. It just can't be," he whispers, brushing my face with the back of his fingers.

"Doctor I have missed you," I giggle, placing my hand over his.

"You're the only thing I have left of her," he sighs, tears welling in his eyes.

"I know." He opens his mouth to say something, but Rose beats him to it.

"Doctor I need your help. If we don't fix the TARDIS we'll be stuck here forever," she states, impatience growing in her voice.

"Right then. Ava, why don't you go shower up and dress in something suitable for…?" The Doctor suggests, trailing off.

"Suitable for what?"

"What's the year?"

"1871."

"Yes, 1871! Brilliant! After the Civil War, yeah? Personally not my favorite time period, it's too gloomy and depressing, not to mention the fashion. Of course no women can think or speak for themselves, and everything is under man's control. Too proper for my liking. Oh and the things they wear! You got those ladies with the big, ugly-" he carries on, using elaborate hand motions.

"Doctor!" Rose scolds.

"Am I being rude again?"

"Yeah, a bit."

"Well, all I'm saying is that clearly the North was going to win the war. I bet a lot of money on it too. What incompetent idiots would-" he begins again. Rose shoots him a disapproving look.

"Lovely time period though. Now go on. The toilets are down the hall, turn left, down the next hall, turn left, and then down the next hall second door on the right. The wardrobe is down the hall, turn left, down the next hall, turn left, and then down the next hall, third door on the left." I ponder the directions, making a mental picture in my mind.

"Wait isn't it in the same hall as the bathroom?"

"Yes! Didn't you hear I said the toilets were-"

"Yes, I know, but couldn't you just say that the wardrobe was in the same hallway, third door on the left?" I laugh.

"I suppose, but that wouldn't be fun now would it?" I hop out of bed, and venture down the hallways to the baths. I take a refreshing shower, and pick out a long ruby dress that comes to my forearms. It is adorned with lace at the sleeves and the neckline plunges down my chest. I wander out into the control room to see the Doctor in a frantic rush pressing a variety of buttons, and yanking levers up and down. Rose follows behind him venting.

"You're joking! She can't be a…a…you! You said that none of your species survived! So how did this girl miraculously escape the Last Great Time War, where millions of other Time Lords didn't? I mean do ya really expect to just stumble upon a lost Time Lord in 1871 America? Blimey, you got to be joshing me!"

"Rose, you got to trust me on this one. She is a Time Lady. She has a fob watch, and not any fob watch."

"So all I have to do is get a damn fob watch and I'm a Time Lady too? You know how easy it is to get a fob watch! Half the world is probably lost Time Lords why don't you go invite them into the TARDIS too?"

"You know it doesn't work that way," the Doctor answers, fiddling with some wires.

"Oh yeah, sorry me the stupid human again, always wrong when it comes to the brilliant Doctor!" she mocks.

"Rose…"

"Do you even know her?" Rose asks now becoming calm.

"Her father died in the war before she was born. I grew up with her father, and knew her family very well. I always fancied Theria, his wife, but she ran off with him instead. After her husband died, I still stopped by every now and then to visit her and Avani. Anyway she escaped Gallifrey when she was eight years old by the request of her mother. Theria died trying to save the both of them. She made me promise that I would take care of her baby. Theria told me that I was the only one she would trust taking care of her daughter. I vowed that I would find her one day. I am the only thing she has left of home," he answers, staring off into the air.

"Is she going to travel with us now?"

"I can't let her slip away again." I emerge from the shadows and peer around. On the gray metal walls blink thousands of tiny lights, and buttons. In the center of the grated, metal floor stands a circular control panel, and a tall cylinder containing a strange green liquid comes up through the center.

"Oh Ava! You look stunning," Rose compliments. I smile, and look down at the gorgeous dress.

"Are you sure that the neckline isn't too low?" I ask. She grabs both my hands, and grins.

"If you got it, flaunt it," she whispers. I blush a deep crimson, but we both begin to giggle.

"Hey what are these bruises?" Rose inquires. She runs her fingers over the blue and purple bruises, making me wince at the slight touch.

"Nothing. They are nothing," I reply trying to pull my hands away.

"Doctor, come here," she calls, shoving the sleeves further up my arms. I drop my eyes to the floor as the sleeves reveal green and yellow blossoms on my skin. A scar runs up my forearm that she now discovers.

"What happened?" Rose questions.

"I'm a klutz. I'm always tripping and falling. They are probably from the fall I took in the store. I fell pretty hard," I reason, yanking down the sleeves.

"What is it?" The Doctor says, appearing at Rose's side. My eyes plead with hers not to mention the bruises and scar.

"Oh, umm I forgot. Sorry," she fabricates.

"You humans are so forgetful sometimes. Tell me when you remember," he teases, flying toward the TARDIS door. "Now Ava since you know this town so well, I was hoping you could give us the grand tour."

"But don't you know everything about it anyway?" I point out.

"Yes, but it gets tiring having to explain to _everything_ to Rose. I like to share the wealth," the Doctor complains. He gives Rose a cheeky grin.

"It's not my fault I'm not hundreds of years old like you," she defends.

"And yet I still look young as ever," he jokes, nudging me.

"Rightfully so. I mean you are immortal."

"Correction, _practically_ immortal. We can still die," he reminds. "Enough talk about dying I'm getting chills just thinking about it. Allons-y. There are things to do, people to see, places to explore!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Hm. Not much to do in this town is there?" The Doctor inquires, walking along the streets Rose linked on his left arm, and I on his right.

"Yeah, nothing interesting besides a couple of saloon fights here and there," I agree.

"Wow, you consider that interesting? Blimey, you really do need a doctor. Luckily there is a cure to your dreadful disease," he guarantees, patting my hand.

"Do tell, Doctor."

"A heaping dose of the universe, from before the dinosaurs to billions of years into the future. I know you're going to just love it. First I can show you the end of the Earth, and then," he responds with enthusiasm. I give Rose a frightened look, and she just waves it off.

"He isn't used to not having a ghost, alien, or metal beast chasing after us. He's high maintenance. Add on that he just found out that he's not the last Time Lord, and you've got a very manic Doctor. Some would even say mad," Rose states with a wink.

"I'm a madman with a box," The Doctor settles.

"Of course," we reply in unison. We carry on down the street, and I spot an all too familiar woman standing in the streets. Her messy, brown hair is tied back into a bun, and she wears her typical dark gray dress, with a dirty, white apron on top.

"Hide me!" I squeak, cowering behind the Doctor.

"From what?" he asks. He dips into his pocket for his sonic screwdriver, but I shake my head.

"From her. It's Mrs. Carmichael. She'll make me go back to the orphanage. Don't make me go back," I beg.

"Of course not. You don't ever have to go back. You're with us now," Rose ensures.

"Stop hiding behind us. It'll be fine. We'll explain everything to her," the Doctor adds.

"_Everything_?"

"Fine we'll _lie_ to her about everything. Got it? Now come on then," he orders. I force myself to take his arm and return to his side, but I bite my lip in fear. Past and current bruises and scars begin to ache and burn as we draw closer. I fiddle with the lace on my dress, until she spots me from a few yards away. A wicked smile creeps across her face, and she races toward us like a hawk does when he has spotted easy prey.

"Elizabeth! Oh darling where have you been? I have searched high and low for two days, and not a single trace! I thought you had run away or worse !" Mrs. Carmichael goes on, holding my face tight in her hands. Too tight. "Elizabeth don't be rude, please introduce me to your friends. I'm Rosa Carmichael."

"This is Isaac Till and his wife Rebecca," I lie.

"You two are married? Where are your wedding rings?" Mrs. Carmichael questions, suspicion rising in her voice.

"Never was a big fan of popular trends. Wedding rings aren't important as long as we are together," he says in a seductive tone, attempting to hold back a laugh. He looks to Rose who blushes, but smiles in agreement. "Hello, Mrs. Carmichael. I am Miss Whitaker's 6th cousin 1x removed. I am here to remove her from the orphanage," he states with a natural smile.

"I do extensive research on all the children under my care, and Elizabeth has no records of any family," she answers her voice becoming strained.

"This should explain it all." He holds out a wallet with a plastic sleeve, and an empty paper shoved inside. Mrs. Carmichael reads it over, her face growing paler by the second. I was her go to gal some would say. I would run the errands, dress the younger ones, clean the house, and often cook dinner if there was food in the cabinets that weren't locked. She would still beat me unconscious on a regular basis, but she never would chain me downstairs for days like some. I could talk back whenever I wanted because I knew no matter how mad she got she could never kill me. I was too important to the running of the orphanage.

"I still cannot give her away to you, until you sign the adoption papers and they go through the government. I'll have the papers within a week. Until they go through the government she belongs to me. Come along, Elizabeth." She snatches my upper arm, and jerks me from the Doctor's grasp. I struggle to hold on, but my fingers slip off the smooth fabric of his suit.

"Wait a minute, how long will that take?" Rose questions, lunging forward to grab my other arm.

"Months, maybe a year. I'm sorry, but it is what it is," Mrs. Carmichael half-heartedly apologizes.

"We're not waiting that long," the Doctor laughs.

"Then you are not getting your cousin." I wince as her grip tightens in rage. She is certainly going to murder me when we get back to the orphanage.

"No, we are going to leave here with Elizabeth with or without your permission. I will give you one chance to release her, and if you refuse there will be unspeakable consequences. You are also to tell no one of this encounter. I am not a man of second chances. So here is your first and final chance. _Let_. _Her_. _Go_," he demands. She scowls at me one last time before I feel her fingers loosen from around my arm.

"Now leave," the Doctor commands while pointing in the opposite direction. She stalks off, but spins around and mouths "I'm going to find you." with a murderous smirk. I feel my fingers quiver, but I calm them by rubbing the unique lace of the dress. I am fascinated by the Doctor's ability to scare off the unshakable Mrs. Carmichael with only words.

"Really _wedding rings aren't important as long as we are together_? I fought so hard not to laugh in the slightest," Rose giggles, patting him on the arm.

"I know me too, but what was I supposed to say?"

"Maybe one of your absolutely random and impossible to understand rants about irrelevant topics. I know they throw me off half the time," she suggests.

"Maybe. Let's get back to the TARDIS it's getting dark," he concludes as we begin walking in the opposite direction.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_"I'm sorry. There was no food in our cupboards, and the little ones were hungry. We haven't eaten in three days," I stutter. I shy away on the floor from Mrs. Carmichael._

_"YOU'RE SORRY?! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT IF YOU MONSTERS SCARF DOWN ALL MY FOOD?! YOU'RE A SNEAKY BITCH AREN'T YOU? PROBABLY SNEAKING DOWNSTAIRS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT GORGING YOUR FAT SELF ON MY WELL-EARNED FOOD! YOU WILL PAY FOR ALL THIS YOU FILTHY PIG!" She screams. She punches my face, and I slump to the floor. Warm blood trickles down my nose. I prepare my muscles for impact, and protect my head and neck with my hands. Her hard leather boots dig into my stomach, and work their way through my fragile fingers. _

_"Stop, please stop. I'm sorry. I won't do it again!" I shriek. The kicking stops, and time stands still. I uncoil from my fetal position to look up at her. A malicious smile spreads across her features, and then I see a lethal glint from the pocket of her apron. I can just make out what it is through my swollen eyes. A knife._

_"Please, don't! Help me! Ellie, Jaime help me!" I scream. She stalks toward me with the knife. I feel the blade tear through my forearm. I let out a blood curdling scream. _

I fly up from the pillow. My hand shakes as I feel the sheets and comforter around me. I sigh, relieved that it was only a nightmare.

"Ava, are you okay?" A voice asks in the pitch black. My pale hand wipes away the perspiration on my clammy forehead. The light flickers on, and the Doctor stands in the doorway, his sonic screwdriver in hand. He rushes to my side, and pushes the unruly strands of hair away from my face.

"What happened? I heard you screaming," he states with concerned brown eyes.

"Nothing, just a nightmare. Sorry, I was just being stupid. You know screaming in my sleep. It won't happen again," I sigh. The scene keeps replaying over and over in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. His face turns blank as he stares into my eyes.

"It was about the orphanage wasn't it? She was beating you, and came at you with a knife."

"It was only my imagination. Mrs. Carmichael is good to us. She-" I start.

"Hold out your hands."

"What? I don't under-"

"Ava, hold out your hands." I place my hands in front of me. He pushes up the sleeves of my baggy sweatshirt. He runs his fingertips over the fresh and old bruises. His hand moves to the four inch scar running along my arm. He traces the outline of four long, slender bruises on the edge of my wrist. He lays his fingers over the pattern, his hand clearly too big to fit my abuser's handprint.

"Who did this?" He questions his voice soft.

"I-"

"Was it that Mrs. Carmichael? Did she do this?"

"Yes," I cower, pulling the sleeves back down.

"Does she do this to the other children?" The Doctor inquires turning away from me.

"Yes, she has even killed some. They are buried under the orphanage," I reveal wrapping my arms around myself.

"Who's the oldest in the orphanage?"

"Peter, he's 17 almost 18. There are twelve children older than me," I answer. He rubs his face, and slams his fist against the wall. He is vibrating. Shaking with rage. He stalks over to me, and snatches my hands. He rips the sleeves up my arms and points.

"Why didn't they protect you? Why didn't they prevent _this_ from happening? Did you scream? Did they just ignore you?" He whispers his voice quivering with anger.

"No. She orders them to beat us with sticks. Peter, Phillip, Drew, Kyle, and Benny. They all beat the younger ones. If they refuse she…she kills them. She already killed George and Solomon because they fought back," I stumble.

"How young are the little ones?"

"The youngest is three. Doctor, I've tried-"

"If the older ones couldn't why didn't you? How could you let those children that couldn't fight back take the beatings? How could you listen to them beg her to stop? Why didn't you help them escape? Why didn't you and the little ones escape from that orphanage?" His voice rises to a yell.

"I did everything in my-" I defend, an anger inside me boiling to the surface.

"Power. You are a _Time Lady_, Avani, you're not Elizabeth Whitaker anymore! So why didn't you save those children? You know why because you only care about yourself. You are just like humans. Selfish, only care about what they get out of something. They are like children. Always fighting over something, always saying something isn't fair. Guess this universe isn't fair! Unless they learn how to stop squabbling over money and land, they won't stand a chance against those other life forms out there. Alien races by the billions are sizing up the Earth like a fat piece of meat, and humans are just sitting ducks. You need to get over your human life, and bring your mind here every day because none of us can be selfish. Rose and I are out there every day saving the universe from total destruction, and if you can't even risk your life for a couple of children than how do you suppose you'll go out there, and risk your life to save one of us or the universe?" He explodes.

"I tried! God knows I have. It was Christmas Eve, and Mrs. Carmichael was out buying more whiskey so that she could get drunk enough for her traditional Christmas rampaging. I figured she would be gone around an hour since she was already too drunk to walk properly. As soon as she left I rounded up all the children ages 6-14 because they had the best chances of fleeing the orphanage and finding a family to take care of them in the countryside. There were 36 of them, and I sent them out in groups of six every ten minutes. I only got through two groups when she came staggering through the door. Her eyes were bloodshot. She had two bottles of whiskey, one that she took satisfying swigs of and the other that she smashed over my head. Only 12 children escaped; two 14 year-olds, one 13 year-old, one 11 year-old, one 10 year-old, three 9 year-olds, one 8 year-old, two 7 year-olds, and one 6 year-old. 12 out of 36. She never let me home alone with the children again. I was always to run the errands from that day forward. I care for the little ones every day in that hellhole. I have cooked, taught, cleaned, and coddled them since the day I turned 13. I gave my life for them. I gave my childhood for them. All I ever got in return were bloody noses and a never ending chain of bruises. Never, ever call me selfish," I counter. His rubs his face, and runs his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I should-"

"You should be sorry, Doctor. Now if you don't mind I have to go find my TARDIS. It has to be around this town somewhere. I wore the key around my neck throughout my human life, never knowing what the key opened," I scoff, hopping out of the bed.

"Go ahead leave, but you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. I'm not going to get you out either. The world has changed since you were eight. You are just a naïve child when it comes to the universe," he challenges.

"I am not a child. I was then, but not now. I have seen too much and know too much. More than you can possibly know, Doctor. So go ahead, label me as a child, too stubborn and too stupid to listen to her wise, surrogate father, but I'm much more than that. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself without your help," I spit, gathering my things on the night side table. I exit the room, and weave in and out of halls until I reach the control room. He catches my arm, but I pull away. "Don't ever go looking for me again. I don't need you, and I will never want you. Just like my mother," I sneer, before slamming the TARDIS door shut behind me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next two days I spend searching the town high and low for my TARDIS, but with no luck. I sleep in various inns across the town, keeping a watchful eye out for Mrs. Carmichael. There is no way in hell I'm going back to the orphanage. After the big blowup between The Doctor and me, Rose set out to search for me. She begged me to return to the TARDIS, but I declined, and hugged her goodbye. If I have my way I will never see her again. It now grows dark, and I stroll around town in my old raggedy dress. The last time I saw my TARDIS, well my parents' TARDIS, it was disguised as a red, London payphone box. Clearly it will be disguised as something else considering we are in the 19th century United States. The houses begin to sparse as I draw closer to the edge of town. In the distance at the very end of the road, lies an old, beat up icehouse. Peculiar. It makes no sense to build an icehouse on the brink of Gettysburg where there are maybe one or two houses near it. Anyway there is one right in town that everyone uses. Why would someone build one here? I have never been this far on the outskirts of Gettysburg. I peer around the streets before spotting an older gentlemen walking toward me. I hurry over to him, and he is taken aback by my sudden presence.

"Sir, do you happen to know anything about that icehouse over there? Does anyone use it?" I question.

"No, been abandoned for years. I don't know why some fellow would be ridiculous enough to build the icehouse there. It's miles from the other houses, and it's certainly not a personal icehouse. The nearest house is a quarter of a mile back," he answers.

"How long have you known it to be there, sir?"

"I'm not sure. 10 years, perhaps?" The hope swelled in my heart deflates. It was here too long to be my TARDIS. I came here seven years ago. Best keep a lookout. "Wait, hold on. I only first really took notice to it in…well let's see…1864! Yes that is when I noticed it because a couple friends and I were thinking about having it demolished. Useless piece of junk is what it is. Why are you so curious?" He questions, as I sprint toward the abandoned icehouse.

"School report!" I yell back. I reach to my neck for the key, but instead of the cool metal of the key, I feel the warmness of my skin. I turn around slowly sensing another's presence. Eight statues stand in the middle of the field. Ten feet away from me. They wear draped robes, and shield their eyes from the world. Their wings spread catching the wind around them. Weeping Angels. I lean against the door of the TARDIS looking to my right and left while keep my peripheral vision on the angels in the center. No way of escaping. No way of backing up any further. _Blink_. They are one foot closer. Stupid girl.

I feel an all too familiar sensation in my nose. I wiggle my nose in an attempt to satisfy it, but I know it's no use. I try to think of anything else, but nothing alleviates it.

"Achoo! Achoo!" I sneeze. Great my allergies are going to end up killing me. The sensation fades away, but now the angels are five feet away. I stare at their cherubic features, astonished how they could kill someone with no effort. How they could kill looking so peaceful and kind. I wait for ten more minutes only blinking once more. They are now four feet away. I press myself against the TARDIS as much as I can, trying to create a larger distance between the Weeping Angels and me.

"Ava! Are you alright?" The Doctor calls from the middle of the field.

"How did you find me?"

"Not relevant. Hold on. Why didn't you go into your TARDIS?" He inquires, walking closer to me.

"I lost the key. My necklace must have fallen off when I walked from the inn that's a mile down to the road here," I answer, staring down at all the angels' dress hems. He rubs his face, and scans the field, and situation. His tongue runs over the inside of his lip as he thinks of the plan of attack.

"Rose, you go find the key to Ava's TARDIS. I'll stay here. Got it?" Rose nods and takes off into town.

"So I haven't seen you in a couple days. How are you? What's up?" He asks with a lighthearted tone.

"Well, not _very_ well. I mean I'm trapped by bloodthirsty statues that I have to stare at," I answer sarcastically.

"Hm. Well…that is quite a problem you have," the Doctor plays along.

"Yes, but since I got myself into this problem, I'm going to be the one to bail myself out," I respond.

"Never mind that because there is a doctor in the house. I will just need my sonic screwdriver," he continues pulling the flashing, metal rod out of his jacket pocket.

"No, this isn't something the Doctor needs to fix; it's something that I need to set straight, despite what happens. I agreed that he wouldn't have to bail me out of any situation I got myself into, and I intend on keeping my word," I state.

"You know I was-" he starts.

"I know, but I struck a deal with you, and I intend on holding up my side of the bargain. Okay?" I retort.

"So icehouse, eh? Never seen that done before," he disregards, pointing toward my TARDIS. That's when I see them. Three.

"Doctor, turn around!" I yell, before looking back at my own angels. They are now beyond too close for comfort. The Weeping Angels are three feet away. He spins around to look at three angels that have crept their way to 20 feet away from him. He locks his eyes on their robes too.

"Well, there went my back-up plan. Hmmm, we'll just have to wait until Rose comes back. So where you planning on going first once you get your TARDIS all set and ready to go?" He inquires with a smile.

"I was thinking maybe 1944 Germany or 2012 United States. United States because I need some modern clothing, and not that poor excuse of clothing in your TARDIS! Real clothing from real stores! And Germany because…well I don't really know. Just seems exciting!" I respond with enthusiasm.

"Mhm. Nothing says exciting like the mass slaughtering of the Jewish community," the Doctor laughs sarcastically.

"Yeah, maybe not the best choice?"

"Nah, I highly recommend the beaches in 24th century Australia, on the north side. The beaches in the south are just horrific covered in oil and other rubbish. The north ones are nice though. Oh and as I was saying before. Icehouse. Brilliant," he chuckles using elaborate hand motions.

"Thank you, but you just better keep a close eye on those angels, or you'll have a one way ticket to Ancient Rome!" I warn. We both laugh, but it soon dies down into a silence. I redden at the thought of what I last said to him before I stormed out of his TARDIS. _Don't ever go looking for me again. I don't need you, and I will never want you. Just like my mother._

"I'm sorry about what I said. You know about my mother and you. I truly didn't mean it," I apologize. He stuffs his fists into his pockets, and shakes his head.

"No you're wrong. Everyone means what they say, but they just recall it later and regret it. You meant what you said about your mother never wanting or needing me, but I forgive you for that," he replies a matter-of-factly. I nod.

"How did she die?"

"Who?"

"My mother. Her death is the only thing I can't remember. What happened?" I repeat, clarifying.

"Let's not talk about that now. Life's too sh- never mind that can't apply to us," he ignores, shaking his head.

"Doctor, my eyes are getting tired," I confess with a laugh.

"Don't worry Rose will be here any moment," he assures.

"Okay. I can wait until then," I murmur, trying to convince myself. Two minutes pass, and my eyes feel like they are going to shrivel up into my head. I now use my fingers to hold them open, but my eyes ache to close. Just blink for one second.

"Where's Rose? I my eyes can't stay open forever," I inquire.

"She's coming. She'll be here any minute," he replies.

"That could be in 30 seconds or ten minutes. I don't think I can keep them open that long."

"Yes, you can. Just keep your mind off of it. Okay so why would the angels come here? What about this place drew them to it?" He asks his voice impatient and gruff.

"I don't know. I have lived here for seven years, and didn't even know they existed. Actually, I only really took notice to them last year. I used to think they were beautiful, and half wished that Mrs. Carmichael would buy one to brighten up the orphanage," I answer.

"Were there any drastic changes to the town this year, a new building, a building demolished, new person in town, anything?" The Doctor presses. My head swims thinking of the last year. No new buildings. No buildings knocked down. No new people besides friends and family of residents visiting every now and then. Then it clicks.

"Mrs. Carmichael! She came to Gettysburg in 1870. That's when I first started noticing the angels." I state.

"But why? Why would they come after she arrived in Gettysburg?" He mutters.

"Do you think they wanted my TARDIS?"

"No, then they would have been here for years. What is it about Mrs. Carmichael that would attract them to 19th century Gettysburg?" The Doctor urges. I ponder the idea, and then it hits me.

"It's the children! After Mrs. Carmichael came to Gettysburg, she started beating us into obedience. God why didn't I see it before! Eleven children have gone missing in the past two years, and everyone in the orphanage just assumed it was Mrs. Carmichael's doing. It's a perfect way to feed without any suspicion from the public! No one knows or cares about the children in the orphanage, not even Mrs. Carmichael! So if some go missing no one really notices or cares enough to investigate! It's genius really! I must be their next victim," I explain.

"Brilliant, Ava!" he exclaims, beaming. Our victory is only short-lived once my focus shifts to my eyes once more.

"Doctor, I can't keep my eyes open much longer," I sigh.

"You'll be fine. Rose will be here soon," the Doctor responds. He blinks. The angels move up three feet.

"I've been here longer than you have, and you can't keep your eyes open. I _need_ Rose," I point out. My eyes squint to relieve some of the uncomfortable pressure, but they still burn with dryness. He nods, not arguing any further.

"Rose! Rose!" We yell, but no reply. No one can hear us. We continue to scream for her assistance, but to no avail.

"Rose! Rose! I need help!" I scream, my voice becoming hoarse.

"It's no use, she can't hear us," he moans. I lick my lips, and stretch my painful eyes.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. For everything," I bid, looking to him for one last time. The angels steal another foot. 2 feet away.

"Chch. Focus. She'll be here any second. Think," he shushes.

"You know I have always kept a knife with me incase my status with Mrs. Carmichael depleted. To use as self-defense. I've never used it of course, but it seems that circumstances have changed. You never know if you'll live to see another day in that orphanage, and I'm all about tipping the scales. It seems I hold a lousy hand, but I've got one more trick up my sleeve. One more chance to tip the scales in our favor," I lecture, running my finger along the blade.

"Ava, you can't kill them. It's impossible to kill them," the Doctor yells, glancing toward me. His angels move three feet closer.

"I know that. I have a plan. It's the only way I might get out of this unscathed. Hypothetically," I reply.

"Don't. Rose will be here any minute," the Doctor assures.

"You've been saying that for the past five minutes, and I can't hold out any longer. She _isn't_ coming. Trust me. I'll be fine," I answer, positioning the tip of the blade on the right side of the stomach. Just as he turns around to look at me, I plunge the knife into my stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Any kind of reviews or feedback are welcomed. They let me know how you feel about the story, and I can build off that to make the story more enjoyable. :)**

"Rose! Rose!" The Doctor shouts turning back to his own angels. Blood drenches my robes, but I don't stem the bleeding. I stare at the angels' feet, struggling to keep consciousness.

"Rose," he calls, now becoming desperate. My eyes begin to close, even though my mind screams at them to stay open. Maybe I was wrong. Perhaps it is too fast. Not enough time.

"What? What's going on?" Rose yells. She runs into the clearing. Her blonde hair whips around as she clutches the key.

"The angels," he orders pointing with a blind hand. She jogs over, and watches them wearily trying to figure out what they are surrounding.

"Thank you," I whisper, falling into the light. I close my eyes, allowing death to lift the world off my shoulders. I fall into a much more peaceful place, allowing the regeneration to take over my body and thoughts.

* * *

My eyes flutter open, and I lean forward from the pillow. I gaze around the room, blinking away the sleepiness. It was the room I was given to the last time I was in the TARDIS. I rub my aching head, and rise to the floor. I make my way to the mirror, and peer at the unfamiliar girl looking back at me. I'm at least five inches shorter, standing around five feet tall. I have small features from my size 5 ½ feet to my little button nose. My eyes are a pale, bright green, and my long, wavy hair a fiery auburn shade. I look to be about 14, losing one year on my appearance, but my petite body makes me look 12 or 13. I realize that I have on the same baggy sweatshirt with OXFORD UNIVERSITY written across the front and yoga pants that I swim in. The sweatshirt is down past my hips and two inches past my fingers, and the sweatpants are rolled up a few inches enough that I don't trip. A dull aching pain stirs in my stomach, but I ignore it. I just must be hungry. I slip out of the room, and find my way to the control room. Rose sits alone reading a book, glancing up every now and then toward the controls of the TARDIS.

"Hey, who dressed me in this? I'm practically swimming in these clothes," I tease, smirking. Her eyes shift to me, and she sprints over to me, screaming.

"Oh my god Ava! You're awake! You've been asleep for three days, and quite ill at that. Running a temperature and all. Blimey, is it really you?" Rose squeals. She hugs me tight in her arms as if I will disappear any moment. The pain intensifies. I shake it off. It's nothing but hunger.

"Yes. So how do I look? Too young?" I inquire. I step back.

"You look amazing. Better than ever," she compliments. I smile, before the Doctor appears behind Rose.

"Blimey you're tiny! How old are you supposed to be, 12?" He chuckles as I fling myself into his arms.

"I think I'm supposed to be 14. Just a little small for my age," I laugh.

"Hey I've regenerated 10 times, and was never a ginger, but she regenerates two times and gets gingerish hair the second time! I suppose you have a friend named Alonso too, yeah?" The Doctor complains.

"Be patient. It will happen eventually," I giggle, giving his arm a pat. "Now where to? Planet One perhaps? My mother always promised to take me to Planet One," I suggest, rubbing the control panel.

"Actually we're going to stop at Rose's time period first," he pushes past. "Allons-y!" He yells over the rumble of the TARDIS. Rose and I grab on the panel, being tossed this way and that. I forgot how rough it can get when travelling in the TARDIS. Then as suddenly as it started to take off, it lands on the solid ground of London. Rose scurries toward the door, and peers at the world outside.

"Come on!" She squeaks, running out the door. The Doctor follows behind, but I linger inside. I ponder the idea of continuing on to Rose's house in such a lousy state, but I again remind myself that it's nothing serious.

"Ava, you coming? My mum won't bite!" Rose urges, motioning me to follow.

"Um…yeah," I hesitate. I stumble outside to the frigid air. My breath swirls as I take in the crisp oxygen. Delicate snowflakes stick to my hair and eyelashes, and accumulate on the ground below. Rose drags us along the near empty streets, the street lamps giving London an eerie glow. She leads us up to an apartment building, and to a door. She knocks on the door, and it instantly swings open. A middle aged woman with chemically-enhanced blond hair answers the door. She gasps in surprise and pulls Rose into a hug.

"Oh my God how are you? I didn't expect both of you back for a while! Come in! Come in!" She twitters, now embracing the rigid Doctor. He scrunches his face in disgust as she kisses his cheeks. I shift my weight between my two feet, an awkward silence hanging heavy over the hallway.

"Who's this then?" She asks with a face of slight distaste.

"I'm Avani, but please call me Ava. I'm The Doctor's friend," I answer, holding out my hand.

"I'm sure. Well, come in I'll make some tea," Mrs. Tyler sighs. We file into the apartment, and settle ourselves down into the living room. I roll up the loose sleeves of my sweatshirt.

"So where are you from, Ava?" She calls from the kitchen.

"Gettysburg, Pennsylvania," I reply.

"That's far away from home. What do your parents think about you travelling with the Doctor? Especially since you're so young! I know when my Rose left I was horrified. How are you adjusting?" Mrs. Tyler raves.

"Actually my parents died when I was eight. It was a miracle that I met the Doctor. I'm adjusting well, though."

"Oh love I'm sorry I didn't know. How exactly did they die?" She presses, entering the room with a tray with mugs of steaming tea.

"Mum!" Rose scolds.

"No, it's fine. Well, my father died in the war. I wasn't even born. My mother died when I was eight, but I don't remember what happened. It is the only thing from my past that I don't remember," I reminisce, shooting pointed looks at the Doctor. He keeps his gaze forward, not flinching once.

"What a shame. Now Rose, Doctor how have you been?" Mrs. Tyler moves on.

"You wouldn't believe half the stories!" Rose exclaims.

"Probably don't want to hear them either. Give me a heart attack they will. With all those monsters and aliens you deal with," she snorts. I bring my lips to the warm mug, and take a long sip of the steaming liquid. Once it reaches my stomach a burning sensation sets my abdomen aflame. I clutch the fabric of the sweatshirt between my fingers. Despite the intense pain it causes me, I shoot up from the loveseat.

"You know I'm very tired after all this time travelling. I'm going to go back to the TARDIS and lie down for a bit," I splutter, trying to keep my voice as even as possible.

"Oh, but it's New Year's Eve! Won't you stay a little longer?" Mrs. Tyler states. I shift my eyes to the floor in guilt. I wipe away the sweat my upper brow.

"No I really must lie down. I'll return later, okay?" I insist.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Rose presses, eyebrows furrowed.

"No, I'll be fine. I'll be back in an hour or two," I promise. She nods, continuing a conversation with her mom about London's latest gossip. The Doctor squints his eyes in suspicion, but remains silent. I move down the hallway, trying to ease the pain as much as I can. I force myself to keep an upright posture, wanting so badly to double over like my stomach screams for me to do. I exit the apartment building, and the sharp, cold air rushes to meet me. I make my way to the TARDIS that is parked a few blocks away. The streets are bare, but the faint sound of laughing rings from the houses along the sidewalk. My eyes water from the frigid air stinging my cheeks, and the crippling pain deep within my abdomen. I pull open the doors of the TARDIS, and hobble inside. I meander my way through the winding hallways to my bedroom. I collapse onto my queen sized bed, and burrow underneath the covers. I slip off the sweatshirt, and roll up the skimpy tank top to expose my abdomen. I tear off the restraining bandage only to reveal a small, but deep stab wound. Blood seeps from the gash, and I pant heavily. A thin, translucent layer of skin forms over half the injury. I must not have been done regenerating. That stomachache I riddled off as hunger was the wound trying to heal itself. I must have aggravated it when I drank the tea, and was moving about like usual. I curl up into a ball, the pain enveloping my mind. I begin to pant. Slow, deep breaths. Slow, deep breaths. Slow, deep…

* * *

"She's going to die. She is barely breathing! Doctor she's burning up. We got to do something. Maybe we should wake her?" Rose suggests. I keeps my eyes shut, struggling to fall back to sleep. Oh the pain.

"No, she's in the final stage of regeneration. She'll be fine, just don't wake her. Inside her body is a raging war, and waking her would be handing the enemy a victory. She already caused significant damage to her already vulnerable body. Let her sleep it off," he warns.

* * *

My eyes blink open to the world around me. No pain. My gaze drops down to my stomach, and new porcelain flesh covers the stab wound. I stumble out of bed, and sprint to the bathroom. I strip myself from the disgusting, sticky clothing and hop into the shower. I scrub every inch of my new body until I'm squeaky clean. I pull on an oversized, white, fluffy robe, and search the TARDIS's wardrobe for something suitable to wear. I settle on a pair of dark wash, skinny jeans, a white lace tank top, a navy blue cardigan, and gold ballet flats. I accessorize it with a long key necklace and a traditional Irish claddaugh ring. I sprint down to the control room, ready to return to Mrs. Tyler's home to celebrate New Year's with her, the Doctor, and Rose. I slow to a walk once I spot a light on in the library. I creep inside to see the Doctor completely immersed into a book that consists of scientific theories about alien life-forms.

"Why aren't you celebrating with Rose and her mother? I told you I was fine," I question. His dark eyes peek over the brim of the book.

"You weren't finished regenerating. Why did you insist on putting yourself in danger like that? You could've died," he states, setting his book down on the table next to him.

"You did that with Rose," I point out.

"Well, yeah, but I'm me. You're you. Two separate people, two separate situations, two separate matters," the Doctor replies.

"Now you're contradicting yourself. You said we're the same. When one contradicts themselves it is a desperate attempt to support their case when they know they have no solid support to stand on. Cognitive Dissonance, perhaps, or just pure hypocrisy." He can't help but reveal a toothy grin.

"Reading up in psychology, yeah?"

"Yeah so don't try to use that reverse psychology on me. It won't work," I laugh.

"Hmmm…I have finally met my match. Someone who is _almost_ as clever as me," he answers, arching his one eyebrow.

"Defensive I see. Worried that he may not be the cleverest after all," I joke.

"But I am. Wait…actually yes. I am the cleverest, but maybe one day you'll measure up to my cleverness. Right now you're too young," the Doctor explains, giving me a wink. He pauses for a moment, and a look of realization washes over his features. "Wait I'm supposed to be cross with you. Ah, but so clever just like your…" he trails off.

"Mother," I finish. He looks away.

"Yeah. Well, if you want to do some shopping you best do it now. We're leaving tonight," the Doctor advises.

"We just got here tonight. What's the big rush?" I question.

"We've been here for two days. I didn't want to risk travelling with you an inch from death. You've been unconscious for days, but if you hadn't we would have left yesterday," he sighs.

"Oh okay. Well I'm going to go shopping then. I'll be back in a few hours." I fan out six hundred dollars, smiling mischievously.

"Where did you get all that money? Is that from the safe?" My smirk grows.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You figure it out, Doctor," I jest, taking off out of the library.

"Sonic screwdriver, eh?" He mumbles.

"You're catching on. It was my birthday present from you when I turned seven. Remember?"

"Unfortunately." For the rest of the day I shop around London, buying a variety of clothes; from t-shirts to cardigans and shorts to sweatpants. I get my auburn hair cut to my mid-chest, new layers accenting the natural waves. I stop by the spa to get a manicure and a pedicure, and get new make-up. I opt for a more natural look with more earthy, subtle tones. I stagger into the TARDIS, the heavy bags weighing down my arms and shoulders. The Doctor's head is shoved in the base of the controls, fiddling with some lever.

"What are you doing?" He jolts upward at the sound of my voice. His head bangs against the top and a cry escapes his lips.

"Just fixing the thinga-majig under the whatsa-mahoosy. So how did the- oh wow. You look so…so," he begins, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Older? I think I could definitely pass as a-" I start.

"No, human, but I guess you look a little older. It's just that you're so tiny!" The Doctor compromises. I roll my eyes.

"So where are we off to now?" I ask, moving around the controls toward him.

"Well, that's up to you. Where do you want to go?" He exclaims, beaming.

"Hmmm…take me home. I want to see where all our ancestors' blood was shed. See what is left of our home. I want to see if the twin suns still burn over the snowcapped mountains, or if the deep red grass still sways to the rhythm of the breeze. I wish to see it peaceful once more," I request. His face falls, and he shakes his head. He gives a half-hearted grin to mask the hurt, and answers,

"That's no fun. I was just there. It's too lonely there anyway, no one to talk to or meet. How about Planet One? You did suggest it a couple days ago, yeah?" The Doctor disregards.

"Okay," I state. He sprints around the controls pulling levers, pressing buttons, twisting handles, and a long mechanic moan erupts from the TARDIS. It repeats it three times before we are thrown about the room like a child's ragdoll. I'm flung backward against the wall opposite to the Doctor, and cling onto anything I can get my hands on. The TARDIS shakes and quakes, spinning about time before a hard thud ceases the chaos. We scramble to our feet laughing hysterically.

"Are you alright over there?" I giggle, stumbling toward the door.

"Fantastic, never felt better! How about you? You haven't time travelled in a while!" The Doctor chuckles, fixing his navy blue tie.

"Amazing, exhilarating, astonishing, yet nauseous, nervous, and anxious at the same time!" I explain.

"Well come on then! Let's go see Planet One! Rose, hurry up will you?" He yells, grabbing the handle of the TARDIS door. Sprinting footsteps echo from the hallways until she blunders into the room.

"Oh Ava you look so much better! Older too!" Rose compliments. She gives me a hug, and I shoot a pointed look at the Doctor. He rolls his eyes, and pushes the door open. We all head outside and peer around at the small planet.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Large, leafy plants billow in the soft breeze. Giant mushrooms tower above, while they soak up the rays of the bright sun. A breath escapes my lips.

"Come on! This isn't even the best part!" The Doctor urges. He takes off into the brush. We trail at his heels, weaving in and out of the various bushes, trees, and plants. The air is so clean and natural unlike the chemical concoction on Earth. Rose and I follow behind like children, clinging onto the other for support. After about ten minutes of steady jogging we reach a cliff. We slow to a stop and peer over the edge. I gasp. Billions of diamonds are encrusted into the side of cliff, sparkling and shimmering in the daylight. The brilliant jewels illuminate the cliff with thousands of speckled light. To the left of the cliff stands a message carved into a large plank. The Doctor stands beaming.

"Beautiful. Just beautiful. What do you think?" He breathes.

"It's perfect," Rose sighs, her eyes fixed on the stunning scene. He then looks to me, and I simply nod.

"Now why would someone ruin something so beautiful? Hello Sweetie? Really?" Rose scoffs. His face scrunches up in confusion, and he dips into his pocket for his glasses. He pushes them up the bridge of his nose, and moves closer to get a better look.

"What? That's…that's impossible," the Doctor whispers to himself.

"What's impossible?" I ask, looking to the sign and then to the Doctor. He shakes his head, and shoves his glasses back into his pocket.

"Nothing." I begin to lift my hand toward his face, but he catches my wrist with his firm, but gentle grasp.

"Don't," he scolds with a serious tone. I back down, and let my hand fall back down to my side.

"So what now?" I question. The Doctor shrugs.

"I really don't know. We usually have an alien chasing after us at this point so this is a whole new experience. We could try to take Hiliophemial Peroxiziminode and combine it with Retulo-" He starts, but Rose just shoots him a look.

"No. You say that _every_ time we have nothing to do. It's. Never. Going. To. Happen," she emphasizes.

"But what happens is that the Hiliophemial Peroxiziminode starts to-" the Doctor continues.

"How about lunch? I'm starving," Rose interrupts. My stomach grumbles in agreement, and the Doctor rolls his eyes.

"You guys are no fun!" He complains. We trudge back through the jungle into the TARDIS. After searching a half an hour we finally manage to stumble upon the kitchen. Futuristic gadgets cover the stainless steel counter tops, overwhelming Rose and I. He strolls into the kitchen and explores the cabinets for something suitable to eat.

"Okay we're going to make lunch the old-fashioned way. By hand," she states, clearing a spot on the counter.

"Oh come on! Do you know how much I spent on all this stuff? I have collected these machines all over the universe!" The Doctor exclaims incredulously.

"But come on it will be fun! When was the last time you made a sandwich yourself without that thing?" Rose questions. She points toward a large, metal toaster looking item. It has eight slots at the top, you place your ingredients into the slots, and it pops out of the bottom into a perfectly made sandwich.

"Okay, I'll participate in your pointless human activities. So what do you want on yours? Pickled pigs lips, goat ears, sheep stomach, what will it be?" The Doctor asks. He snatches a variety of jars and ingredients from the fridge and cabinets. Rose winces at the thought and shakes her head.

"Got any peanut butter?" He picks up a jar and tosses it to her. She unscrews the lid, and takes in a deep breath of the strong aroma.

"Would you like a peanut butter sandwich?" Rose offers, plucking the white bread loaf off the counter. I shake my head.

"Sorry, no. I'm allergic to peanuts," I decline.

"Since when have you been allergic to peanuts? You used to eat the stuff all the time!" She laughs. I shrug my shoulders.

"It's part of her regeneration process," the Doctor states.

"I thought she was done regenerating."

"She is, but she is still adjusting to her body. Just like her appearance is different, so is her taste in food and hobbies. She may love peanut butter in her first regeneration, but be allergic to peanuts in her next regeneration. New body, new rules," he explains.

"I want black olives," I say. My mouth waters at the thought of the extreme saltiness. He returns to the refrigerator, and throws me a jar of black olives. I grab a spoon from the silverware drawer, and dip it into the jar. I fish out a couple olives, and shovel them into my mouth. I chew them slowly, letting the saltiness run over my taste buds. My face scrunches up and I sprint toward the garbage can and spit them out.

"Olives. Gross. I want jam on toast," I announce. I run over to the jam and spread it onto a fresh piece of toast.

"I thought she said she wanted olives," Rose whispers as I thrust the toast into my mouth.

"She has no clue what she wants. She has new taste buds which means she likes new things and hates old things. Ava has no control over it. It's like a guessing game. She may crave the strangest and most disgusting things," the Doctor clarifies. I scrape the remains of the toast and jam off my tongue and into the garbage can. My stomach growls in annoyance, and I tap my chin deeply in thought.

"Is there anything you want? Like custard, cheese, chocolate, grapes, oranges, anything you crave?" He urges.

"Custard for lunch?" Rose questions skeptically.

"It would be a miracle trying to get her to eat anything. Trust me I've gone through this many times. Children are the hardest," the Doctor answers.

"You had children?" She presses. His face becomes distant and he casts his eyes to the floor.

"Yes, once. A long time ago. Now Ava, what do you want?" He finishes, feigning a smile. I meander around the kitchen looking at the tons of food set out before the counter. I continue to try various foods like bananas, apples, guavas, mac and cheese, but to no avail. I collect the rye bread, mayonnaise, ketchup, salami, guacamole, and M&M's from the counter and construct a sandwich out of the ingredients. Rose gags a little bit as I take a huge bite from the homemade sandwich.

"That's disgusting," She murmurs as I hum in delight.

"Hey she's eating it that's all that matters," He chuckles. We pack up the rest of the food and place it in the picnic basket for a wonderful picnic by the diamond cliff.

"So do you humans do this regularly?" The Doctor asks, trying to coax me to drink some lemonade.

"Not really, but once in a while if the day is nice we do," she replies. He nods, and I finally comply to taking a small sip of the yellow liquid. I pucker my lips and shake my head.

"Lemonade is gross," I announce. He sighs, but lets it slide. Like he said new body, new rules.

"Oh, Doctor you have changed so much since I last saw you," I state, taking a bite of my sandwich concoction.

"Really? Well I guess I am a little foxier and younger than in the old days. You have changed a lot too," he ponders.

"How so?"

"Just different." I give a respectable nod, and take another bite.

"So what happened with the Weeping Angels? I don't remember a thing," I question. Rose munches on a potato chip, but stops in an instant. She looks to the Doctor, and he sighs rubbing his eyes.

"After Rose came with the key, you became unconscious. You exploded with energy as your body began the regenerating process. The angels fled to another time period before I could stop them," the Doctor mumbles.

"See I am cleverer than you think I am. I just knew it would work," I gloat.

"If it didn't you would be dead. It was brilliantly stupid. If you would've given me more time I would have been able to get us out of their safe, sound, and _alive_," he admonishes.

"Doctor, sometimes you have to let me go. What if it was the universe at stake? If it was me or the universe which would you pick?" I inquire. His brown eyes become dark.

"Don't toy with me, Ava. Remember I am the Doctor," he warns, his eyes flashing.

"Your loyalties may lie with both, but which is more important one tiny minnow or a whole ecosystem? You barely know me."

"I know everything. Everything that is, was, and could be. I know you Avani Genevieve. I know the things you've done, seen, felt, and heard. Don't test my loyalty." I give a light laugh, but my face becomes serious.

"I am not testing your loyalty; I am making sure that you know where your _true _loyalty lies," I assure. The Doctor stands up abruptly, and stalks off into the woods. My eyes fly to Rose who remains quiet, eating a small bag of potato chips.

"Why do you have to go and make him cross like that?" She moans.

"He needs to stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself. He can't get too attached to me because if something would come up and I would have to die permanently, he needs to know it's okay to let me go. He seems to forget that not everything can live. Existence is life and death," I defend.

"He knows that, and if the time comes he will do what's right. He's the Doctor," Rose reasons.

"But I can see it in his mind. The joy and adoration he has knowing that he has me and I have him. That he isn't the last of the Time Lords. What if one day he is? I can't see the possibility of me gone in his mind. He refuses to see it. He was so lonely, but now he is among his kind. He can't imagine being lonely ever again," I describe.

"I used to be able to see everything too. It was beautiful. I could see dark and light, space and time, life and death. I could see everything that is, was, and could be, and it was wonderful. I know what is like to look into his mind, into his heartbreaking thoughts. His pain and suffering. His tough decisions between saving one life that he held so dearly or saving the lives of billions of life-forms. I saw it too, but he puts it all aside at the end of the day. He _knows_ the difference between right and wrong. You have to trust him that when the time comes, he'll do the right thing," she confides.

"Are you half Time Lord?" I question, my eyes widening. She giggles and shakes her head.

"No, no. I'm 100 percent human. The Doctor died for me. We were on satellite five and he sent me home because he was going to blow up the whole satellite and the earth. He told me that he promised to return me home safe and sound, and that he was going to keep his word. He sent the TARDIS back to my time period, and locked the doors. I knew I couldn't leave him to die. I loved him too much. With Mickey and my mum's help we were able to open the heart of the TARDIS. I looked into it and it looked into me. It returned me to satellite five to see the Doctor surrounded by Daleks. I was glowing. I killed all the Daleks in the room, but the power was becoming too much for me. My head was burning with energy. He said I would burn to death, so he did the only thing he could. He kissed me, and stole the energy from my body. He transferred the energy back into the TARDIS, but slowly began to die and to regenerate. He regenerated into his 10th form, and here we are."

"You saw what we see 24/7, and it didn't drive you mad? I mean I can have millions of things running through my mind at one time. Sometimes I want to hit myself over the head with a lead pipe just to make it stop."

"No it was amazing. I felt like I had the destiny of time and space in the palm of my hand. It was exhilarating," she replies in awe.

"It is also a burden. Having to sacrifice all that you love for things and people you don't even know. I'd be lying if I said it was easy," I answer darkly. It is only now that I notice she is shivering. "Rose, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, just a bit chilly. How are you not cold?"

"Rose it's a tropical climate. It's probably around 100 degrees," I state in a slow and soft tone. Before I can retrieve the Doctor from the woods, she slumps over, unconscious.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Write reviews and tell me what you think :)**

I rush to her side, and place my hands on her ghostly white cheeks. I run my hand across her forehead to wipe away the cold sweat. She shudders in her frightening sleep, trying to stay as warm as she possibly can.

"Doctor! Doctor I need your help! There's something wrong with Rose!" I call, gathering her in my arms. I wrap the picnic blanket around her fragile body in a desperate attempt to provide her some warmth. Nothing. No answer. I rise to my feet, her limp body hanging loosely in my arms.

"Doctor! Doctor!" I scream, panic rising in my voice. I begin to jog into the forest, set on finding the TARDIS. Rose needs a doctor and fast. I trip and stumble across the uneven terrain, trying to shield Rose from the sharp branches, and leafy ferns. In my franticness I begin to grow careless, and get twigs and burrs stuck in my hair. The thorns of the surrounding plants slice my soft, new flesh, and little drops of blood form in the places.

"Doctor!" I shriek at the woods. No reply. I trudge on, Rose growing heavier and heavier by the minute. My arms ache at me to drop her and leave her there to die, but like I said earlier. Being a Time Lord is all about its sacrifices. Forget about my throbbing arms, and stinging cuts. I must put this helpless girl before myself. Before my own needs. I see my oasis in the clearing, the blue box in the same place where we last left it. I yank the doors open, and shuffle inside. I lay her gently on the TARDIS floor.

"What the bloody hell happened? Is Rose alright?" The Doctor orders while crouching down to my level. He whips out his sonic screwdriver and runs the blue light over her body.

"I don't know. I knew something was wrong when she was complaining about being cold. Before I could do anything she fainted. And may I say _you_ were no help. Where the hell have _you_ been?" I snap. He ignores my jeer, but reads the findings of his sonic screwdriver. His face drains of color, and he shoves it back in his pocket.

"The Reichlon virus, one of the most efficient killing viruses in the universe. It was first introduced as a cure to another disease Cocheron Fever. The natives on this planet created it, but soon after its release it started going haywire. Instead of just healing the sick it began to prey on the healthy. That's why we haven't run into any natives. It must have wiped them all out," he states rapidly.

"What's the cure?" I ask. His face becomes grim, and he runs his fingers through his dark hair.

"There isn't one. It basically freezes you to death. It lowers your body temperature to the point at which they can reproduce. They need a host. It gorges itself on the energy of your brain waves sending you into a never ending cycle of memories, fears, and nightmares. It's airborne so it can infect you or me in a matter of minutes. It only needs your body temperature to be 99 degrees or below. You have been exposed to it longer than me. Do you feel okay? Anything feel off?" He explains. He looks at me with his most serious eyes that I chill me to the bone.

"No I feel fine," I respond. He jumps to his feet.

"Alright, but if you feel strange or sick at all you have to take care of yourself. This is a virus that you do not mess with. It is deadly. Now come over here and catch me before I crack my head open on the floor." I spring to my feet and catch him as he begins to crumble to the ground. He is ice cold just like Rose.

"No I need your help. You need to wake up!" I yell anger rising in my voice. I shake him without relent, but he remains unconscious. "It's up to me now," I whisper to myself. I lay him down next to Rose, and hop to my feet. I sprint to the linen closet, and grab bundles of blankets and sheets. I wrap the Doctor and Rose in the thick cloth. I locate the thermostat, and raise the temperature to 100 degrees. I sit down on the floor between the two of them. I place damp rags on Rose's forehead and neck to prevent the human from overheating. Why did humans have to be so temperamental and fragile? There is no need to worry about the Doctor overheating because Time Lords can withstand extreme temperatures, but humans' temperature cannot be too hot or too cold. I wipe the sweat from my forehead, and take off my loose t-shirt so that I am only wearing a cami and shorts. I whip my hair into a ponytail, and recall everything that the Doctor said earlier about the virus. Well from what I know about viruses there is no way to cure them. You have to let nature run its course and eventually it will work itself out of your system. Not in this case. From what I can understand about what the Doctor said these viruses don't let up, and will stay in your system until your dead. So trying to wait out the virus won't work. Besides Rose is human and cannot withstand these extreme circumstances. The heat in the TARDIS is only meant to slow down the progression of the disease too. It will only stall the virus for so long. I run my fingers through my auburn hair in frustration, and decide to check the library for any books about the Reichlon virus. Once I reach the library I search the shelves high and low. My fingers brush along the spines, reading the titles for any hint of what information is presented in the book. After scouring the shelves for over a half an hour, I throw a book about the common paramecium across the room. I let out a scream. Why can't I find just one damn book about the virus? I continue my search knowing that each second could be the last for one of my mates. Just when I am about to give up my search and return to the Doctor and Rose my fingertips fall upon a book a thick, dusty book about the Reichlon virus. I open the creaky red cover. I skim the pages, looking for any kind of answers. I discover the page I've been looking for, and my eyes begin to fly across the lines.

_Symptoms:_

_Temperature decline_

_Hot flashes_

_Dizziness_

_Fainting_

_Nausea_

_Vomiting_

_Slowed blood flow_

_Frostbite of the extremities_

_Headache_

_Nightmares_

_Deliria_

_The first stage of the Reichlon virus is dizziness, fainting, hot flashes, and temperature decline. The infected persons may remain unconscious for the duration of the progression of the disease. The second stage of the virus consists of nausea, vomiting, and headache. The third stage entails deliria, temperature decline, and nightmares. The fourth and final stage of the disease is slowed blood flow and frostbite of the extremities. _

_Survival Percentages-_

_Stage Survival %_

**_Stage 1_**

_5.6%_

**_Stage 2_**

_3.4%_

**_Stage 3_**

_0.68%_

**_Stage 4_**

_0.02%_

_The survival rate of this disease is extremely rare, and falls at about one in three million chance that the patient will survive. The virus opts for a quick and painful death, killing its victim only 2 hours after infection. There are no known cures for the disease due to the fact that it does not allow enough time for scientists to complete studies on infected patients. The ultimate result is death._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

My heart plummets to my stomach, and I rip the page out of the book in a fit of rage. I storm out of the library, and return to the control room of the TARDIS. I sit down between the two of them, watching helplessly as they shiver. I stroke Rose's blonde hair to calm her shaking body, letting her know I am here for her. She whispers in her sleep, but her voice grows louder and louder.

"Doctor! No…Doctor don't leave me! I love you! Get away from him!" She screams, thrashing about.

"Shhh…Rose it's only a nightmare. It's only a nightmare," I coo. I brush away the loose strands of hair, both my hearts skipping a beat. This frightens me. Losing her and the Doctor would kill me. If I let them die right before my eyes…I couldn't live with myself. I can't do this on my own either. I need the Doctor's wisdom and knowledge. I don't know what to do. My gaze shifts to the Doctor who trembles, but stays silent in his internal torture. I run my fingers along his hairline. I push back the clammy strands of hair sticking to his forehead. I begin to hum an old nursery rhyme that my mom always sang to me as a child. The sweet melody vibrates against my lips, calming him and me.

"No, no, no! Don't leave me! Don't let go! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" He cries. His body thrashes back and forth, smacking anything in a two foot radius.

"Shhh…you're okay. Everything's going to be okay," I assure, my voice quavering. Rose and the Doctor have already reached the third stage. He shoots straight up, and retches all over the blankets he's wrapped in. He immediately falls back down, and starts screaming again.

"Don't touch her! Get away all of you! Oh, Theria. Theria…I'm so afraid. I'm so alone," the Doctor sobs. He thrashes about, frightening me to the core. I have never seen him so vulnerable, so weak. It scares me. He wasn't afraid of anything. Not even death. I yank the vomit covered blankets to the side, and lean in close. I wipe away his cold tears, and stroke his cool skin.

"You are never alone. I'm here, Doctor. You'll be okay. You'll always be okay," I murmur in his ear. He grows silent, and the sobs from deep in his lungs cease.

"Theria. Hold me. Don't let me go," he stammers.

"I'm here, darling. I'm here. Everything's alright," I lie, holding him in my arms.

"Theria, I'm so cold. I'm dying, Theria. It hurts to breathe." Tears spring into my eyes, but I do not dare let one fall. I do not show weakness.

"Shhh…it's okay. You're fine. Now sleep, sweetheart. Fall asleep," I reply with a small smile. He settles down, but opens his mouth and whispers,

"I love you. You, Ava, and my family mean the world to me. Let Ava know that."

"Okay. I will. I promise. I love you too." He falls back into unconsciousness, and I instantly wipe away the tears that plague my eyes. I find a new resolve. I am going to save the Doctor and Rose even if it kills me. I tear through the TARDIS, grabbing supplies from every nook and cranny. I dump them all into the control room and begin to construct a heater. Not any heater. A really, really big heater. I've never been one who was fascinated with science and I often fell asleep during my lessons, but every now and then I watched the Doctor work on different projects and learned a little bit about how to build a sonic heater. My fingers fumble with the wires that I join to create the circuits. I work on it for about a half an hour until it is finished, and I proceed to drag it outside into the open air. I hold the two last wires apart, taking in a deep breath. God, please make this work. I fuse the two together. Nothing. I rub my face knowing that the heater cannot generate enough power to work like it's supposed to. I lick my lips, wondering if the TARDIS is powerful enough to keep itself at a toasty 100 degrees and heat the entire planet like that for 12 seconds. A click and mechanic drone from the TARDIS convinces me otherwise. She doesn't have enough energy to keep both going for 12 seconds. Then it hits me. Why haven't I been infected with the disease? I have been touching and caring for contagious patients for almost two hours now, and I feel normal. Regeneration. My body temperature has skyrocketed from my previous regeneration. I am bursting with heat and energy, something that the lethal virus can't handle. The second it would touch my scorching blood it would die. I run my fingertips over the base of my arm, feeling the hot and energized blood pulsing through my veins. My body would make the perfect power source. I take the pair of scissors I used earlier to cut the wires, and dig it deep into my arm. A small hole sits in the center of my lower arm between my wrist and forearm, and it begins to bleed gold-tainted blood. I inhale what could be my last breath, and fuse it into my arm. The heater springs to life, and creates massive heat waves across the planet. I let out a blood curdling scream as the intense heat kicks back into my body. My whole body feels like it's on fire, and I'm slowly burning to death. My skin ripples and twitches from the burning sensation, but I ignore it the best that I can. I feel boiling tears racing down my cheeks. I count silent numbers in my head. Ten Mississippi, eleven Mississippi, twelve Mississippi. I disconnect the wire from my body, and force myself to run back into the TARDIS. My heart falls at the vision I see. They are still unconscious and shivering. I collapse onto the floor, using my last energy to place my hands on their faces. I begin to transfer my heat into their bodies as my body tries desperately to adapt to the soaring temperature. In turn I receive buzzing memories from their past sending me into a fit of smiles, until one from the Doctor appears.

_"Darling, run you got to run. Find the Doctor, and don't look back until you get there. Quickly, go!" Mom orders while motioning toward the door. _

_"Exterminate! Exterminate!" the metallic voice screams. A bright laser beam extends from the mechanical eye, and she crumples to the floor._

_"Mommy!" I yell. _

_"Get the Time Child!" I shoot my sonic gun at the ceiling and climb out the window to my left. I land on my feet, and continue running down the road. I'm an orphan now. My father died before I was born, and I just watched the murderous Daleks kill my mother. I have nothing left. Tears stream down my flushed, dirty cheeks, blurring my vision. I stumble along the road, wiping my nose on my sleeve. The only thing that I have to protect to me is my sonic gun and screwdriver. My grimy, blue dress hangs heavy on my small body as rain pours down from the sky. I finally climb up the porch to the Doctor's house and bang on the door._

_"Doctor! It's Ava! Help me!" I shriek, my voice cracking with tears. The door flies open, and he summons me inside._

_"Ava what's wrong?" He asks with his serious brown eyes. A past regeneration of him stands there holding my shoulders. _

_"They killed her. They killed my mom," I stutter. Warm, fresh tears fall down my cheeks, and he wipes them away with his thumbs._

_"Theria…" he murmurs. His eyes glaze over with salt water, but he pushes them away. "Give me that. Did your mother say you were allowed to use this?" he scolds. He snatches the sonic gun from my tiny grasp, and sets it to the side._

_"I killed a Dalek with it. She told me to take it and use it as protection," I stammer. He hands me a tissue to wipe my nose with and shakes his head._

_"You're only eight. I don't want to see you using one ever again. Come on let's get you dry." The Doctor leads me to the hallway where he retrieves a white, fluffy towel. He dries my shoulder-length, blonde hair, and gives me one of his t-shirts to wear as a dress. Just as he is about to go get me a cup of tea, I latch onto his waist._

_"Don't leave me. The Daleks will come and kill me. I want my mom back!" I cry, my green eyes filling with salty tears. They splash down my face, and soak a spot on the Doctor's shirt. He crouches down to my level, and embraces me in his arms. He runs his fingers along the back of my hair and hushes my cries. _

_"I won't. I promise. I will never leave you. It's okay, shhh…"_

I gasp for air, and fly backward from the Doctor and Rose. I am too weak to drag myself over, but both of them slowly rise off the floor.

"Blimey, my head hurts," Rose complains, rubbing her skull.

"Why do I smell like vomit?" the Doctor questions. He crinkles his nose in disgust, and then he spots me crying, and gasping for air on the floor. He slides over to me, and lays his hand on my flushed cheek. "What did you do? Ava, are you okay?"

"Heater…not enough energy…use myself…Hot…so hot…Going to die," I rasp. I manage a small smile, but he wriggles his arms underneath my body.

"No you're not going to die. Not today. The Doctor is in," he announces with a weak smile. He is exhausted from the disease ravaging through his body just a minute earlier.

"I…can…take care…of myself. You...need rest," I reply with concerned green eyes. He shakes his head.

"I'm the Doctor. No virus can wear me down. Now I'm going to ease you into the tub. The water is going to be cold, but it will help bring down your temperature," the Doctor informs. He lays me down in the large, porcelain basin, and turns on the faucet. Water cascades down into the tub, reaching my burning skin. It feels ice cold, and sends me trembling and squealing.

"It's…too…cold."

"No, it's fine. See your temperature is already going down. You'll be bright eyed and bushy tailed in no time!" He casts the sonic screwdriver beam over my head to get the reading of my temperature. After about an hour in the tub, the Doctor finally lets me get out of the freezing water, and go dry off in my room. I return to the library where he said he wanted to speak with me. My auburn hair is tied back into a wet bun, and I wear a pair of yoga pants and a tight, tie-dye tank top. Only one thing lingers in my mind. My mother's death.

"How are you feeling?" He inquires as I appear in the room.

"No the real question is how do you feel?" He gives me an irritated look, but gives in.

"Tired, exhausted actually, but fine," The Doctor asks, rubbing the back of his neck. I brush the sweat from my forehead.

"Sick. I've been throwing up gold energy for the past hour, but I'm fine," I laugh. His face remains serious.

"Are you sure you don't want to continue this tomorrow?"

"Doctor, I'm fine." He walks over to me, and embraces me in a big hug.

"You were brilliant today. Stupid because you could have killed yourself, but absolutely fantastic. You are truly becoming like your mother," he whispers in my ear, but I pull away.

"What did you do to me?" I splutter, taking cautious steps backward.

"What do you mean? Are you sure you're alright?" He approaches me, but I whip out my sonic screwdriver in protection. He holds his hands up in defeat and stops in his tracks.

"How could I forget about my mother's death, Doctor, tell me that. You must have done something to me!" I reply keeping my voice strong and steady. The Doctor licks his lips.

"I erased it from your mind. You were traumatized and wouldn't leave my side. I knew you wouldn't leave me unless you forgot about your mother's death," he drawls.

"Why didn't you go back for her? I could have been wrong. She died, alone with no one there to hold her or comfort her. She needed you, Doctor," I guilt.

"Everything must come to an end. Everything must die, Ava you know that."

"She didn't have to die though. It wasn't her time. She was everything to you, wasn't she? She was the woman you could never have, and you let her die," I shame.

"Yes, but something kept me from going back. Something that meant much more to me," he answers in a distant voice.

"What could be more important than my mother?"

"That long, straight blonde hair, and charming green eyes. That little girl who fascinated me, and brought me back down to Gallifrey when I thought I would never return home. The one who sat on my lap, and mistakenly called me dad every once in a while. She meant more to me than anything in this universe. She was the daughter I always dreamed of having before I started my own family. She-" the Doctor explained with a slight grin on his face. I start to tremor in realization.

"She didn't need you like her mother did," I fumble over the words.

"Oh yes she did. She needed a father. Not a doctor. She needed me more than her mother needed me. I needed to step in and be your father, just like I'm doing now," he defends.

"I know my father didn't die before I was born. I saw it in your nightmares, and memories. I know that was the story my mother fabricated. He was the great Master who tried to take over the universe. He left my mother after he found out that I was a girl. He wanted a boy to be the heir of the universe, so that when he died there would be someone that made sure his vision would never die. I was his greatest disappointment," I spit. I show my arm to him and lean in close to his face. "Your archenemy's blood runs through my veins. How can you stand to look at me? How could you ever have wished I was your daughter? Why haven't you killed me before I hurt someone?" He brings his hand to my face, and pushes away the lingering tears.

"I see your mother when I look at you. That blood that runs through your veins is the blood of a leader, fighter, and survivor. You are nothing like your father, but you are everything that your mother and I raised you to be," the Doctor speaks holding my face in his hands.

"How can you love me?" I murmur. I search his eyes for deception, but find only truth.

"Because you are my only daughter left." I fall into his arms, bawling like a child. I let go all of the hatred I had of his protection of me. I let all my walls come crashing down, and cling onto his body. He slumps to the floor, taking me with him and holds my head against his warm chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I cry.

"For what? You have done nothing wrong, sweetheart," he points out.

"For leaving you alone for so long. I've betrayed your trust," I explain through the warm tears.

"You saved my life two hours ago. You could never betray my trust," he reassures. The Doctor plants a kiss on my head. I fall asleep while crying in his arms, and he carries me back to my room. I listen to his beautiful hum of the nursery rhyme as he lays me gently on my bed. The Doctor kisses me on my burning forehead, and bids me a goodnight before turning off the light.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Come on then, wake up! Ava wake up! You'll never guess where we are!" Rose squeals, ripping off the comforter and sheets. I roll over, groaning.

"I don't care. I just want to sleep!" She grabs my arm, and pulls me into an upright position.

"We're on the Titanic! Wake up and smell the ocean air!" I bury my head into my pillow.

"Just 10 more minutes!" I whine, falling backward onto the bed.

"Fine. Come and find us when you're ready. Remember this is 1912, dress accordingly," she settles, exiting the room. After 10 minutes have passed, I trudge out of bed and get ready for the day. I fix my hair into an exquisite bun, letting two wavy strands of hair hang loose out of the bun. I don a gorgeous soft, gold dress, and a matching gold clutch. I open the door, and I find the TARDIS hidden away in an abandoned 3rd class cabin. I travel through the long, dreary hallways of the third class. They are clean and somewhat nice, but nothing compared to the photos I've seen of the first class deck. A woman with curly, fire red hair comes laughing down the hallway with a little ginger boy, and a little blonde girl. I smile at the children's giggles as she skips down the corridor with one at each side her. Her ice blue eyes lift up from her children a moment, to catch the sight of my presence. Her eyes shift back down to the floor and she slows to a walk.

"Come along children. I'm sorry if we were a bother to you, miss," she states with a thick Irish accent. My face becomes soft with grief as the children become rigid, and walk quickly away from me down the hallway.

"You weren't a bother. I'd actually really enjoy it if you would accompany me in finding my mates. They're probably on one of the upper decks," I suggest with a grin. She smiles back, but shakes her head.

"It wouldn't be proper. Us in our rags and you in your fine evening dress, people would stare."

"Who cares? Let them stare. What does it matter of our clothes?" I disregard.

"Everything. You seem to be a very sweet girl, unlike so many of the others. You seem to be very educated and have a good head on your shoulders, but there is a reason why there are separate decks. You stay on your decks with your fine wine and champagne, while we stay on ours with our less than mediocre beer. It's just how it's meant to be," she answers, turning away.

"Then promise me one thing," I state. She spins around.

"Yes?"

"On April 14 dress you and your children in your best clothes, and look your finest. Get up on the top deck at 1 am, and hide somewhere. You'll know what to do when the time comes. Never let anyone know of what I'm telling you. Can you do that for me…?" I reply.

"Merida."

"Can you do that for me, Merida?" She nods. I continue on my way, sucking in a deep breath. If the Doctor found out what I did I would be dead for sure. I wander up to the top deck where the cold sea air stings my cheeks. I look out into the distance where the sunset meets the water. I give a deep sigh, and lean on the railing. The dark blue waters lap at the side of the ship, rocking it back and forth like a cradle. I close my eyes remembering the times that my mother would take me to the different planets all around the universe. She would always tell me "Grab your coat and sonic screwdriver! We best not keep the stars waiting!"

"Oi, sleeping beauty finally decided to get up," a voice interrupts my thoughts. I jump at his thick British accent, and grab my chest.

"You almost gave both my hearts a heart attack!" I reprimand, hitting his arm.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," the Doctor defends, rubbing his shoulder.

"Would you two knock it off? The important thing is we are on the Titanic!" Rose squeals. She hangs on the Doctor's trench coat.

"Why are we here, Doctor? I mean don't get me wrong I think it's fantastic, but just a strange choice for you," I question. I notice that the Doctor avoided tragedies in history as much as possible; especially ones that he cannot mess with.

"I was here before with my former companion Sarah Jane Smith on vacation, and I realized that there was something strange about the tear created by the iceberg. I didn't have enough time to investigate, so we had to depart prematurely," he explains.

"Why?" Rose asks dumbly.

"Well, the ship _does_ sink." She rolls her eyes.

"Okay I get it. Stupid question," she mumbles.

"You know you think you could follow the few rules that I have," the Doctor points out. Rose crosses her arms in annoyance.

"And who is this Sarah Jane Smith girl? Did she use to travel with you?"

"Priorities, Rose. Priorities," he sighs.

"Don't you think it's important that I know if you've travelled with other girls? So who is this Sarah Jane Smith, eh? How old is she? Where is she exactly?" Rose presses.

"Why the hell does it matter?"

"Because-"

"Settle down children," I interject.

"I'm not a child," Rose snaps.

"Neither am I!" The Doctor bellows.

"_Both_ of you could have fooled me. Now everyone just stop bickering and try to act a little civil. We are in public on a 20th century ocean liner. Get it together!" I settle. I stalk away down the deck. I turn around to see the Doctor and Rose standing dumbfounded. "Well come on then! Let's have dinner on the Titanic!" They follow along behind and eventually we make our way to the famous grand staircase. My breath catches at the sight before me. The stairs cascade down the side of the deck, the dark wood so perfect and polished that it shines in the artificial light. I run my fingertips over the exquisite carvings. I take a tentative step forward, feeling as though the staircase will come crashing down at my mere 95 pounds. I hold on to the railing with a stiff grip, and lift my dress up so that I don't trip. I spin around to see the familiar grandfather clock, sitting with a beautiful elegance on the landing of the staircase.

"What do you think?" The Doctor murmurs to me and Rose. Rose nods, not able to speak a word.

"It's fantastic," I manage with a light laugh. "We're on the freaking Titanic!" He chuckles.

"Come on then!" He urges linking both our arms into his. We descend down the staircase and pass by other first class passengers chattering about. We turn into the first class dining room, peering around. I feel out of sorts like I don't deserve such luxuries while other people below us don't receive the same. Tables line the room ranging in size and shape. The beautifully crafted tables are covered with delicate white tablecloths, and they are adorned with the ship's best china. The walls are made of the same dark wood, and from the ceiling suspends a breathtaking, diamond chandelier. We are led by a steward to a small table at the center of the room set for three. The Doctor pulls back two chairs from the edge of the table. Rose and I gladly sit while the Doctor takes his own place across the table.

"Apparently chivalry is not dead," Rose giggles. The Doctor gives a look of distaste.

"Give it a few years, and soon half the men of the earth will become regular jerks. Unlike most humans, Time Lords were always taught manners from the time they were old enough to talk. I pride myself in holding the moral high ground when all else fails."

"Fat lot of good that did you. This is what you said and I quote, "What idiots would not put enough lifeboats on a ship where the craftsmanship is mediocre at best? I have seen single-celled organisms that have better skill than this! Well, they were mutated, but that's beside the point!" Not only did you speak rather loudly, but Thomas Andrews, the head builder of the ship, was standing a few feet away," I point out in an incredulous tone.

"Was I really being rude?" The Doctor asks. His eyes show him reminiscing back to that moment, trying to remember if he had forgotten his manners.

"Yeah, you were. Didn't you notice my elbow jabs?" I recall.

"Huh, I just thought you had an awful twitch or something." A waiter strides up to our table.

"Hello. May I get you all something to drink this evening?" The Doctor taps his fingers against the table, eyeing the menu. He hands it to the waiter.

"Give me the best wine you got," he announces.

"I'll just have a glass of water," Rose states.

"Same as him," I reply. The Doctor gives me a disapproving look.

"She'll have water," he answers flatly. The waiter hurries away with our order.

"What the hell was that for?" I pout.

"If Rose is too young for alcohol than so are you," the Doctor explains. I cross my arms.

"But I'm not human," I whisper.

"But you sure can get drunk like one."

"I'm not going to get tipsy off of one glass of wine. Besides Time Lords can handle more alcohol in their bodies than humans," I insist.

"Yeah fully aged Time Lords can, but you're still a child."

"Can't I just have one sip? Just to try it. New taste buds!" I reason.

"Fine. One taste and that's it," the Doctor gives in. A heavy silence falls over the table even though the room roars with laughter, talking, and beautiful music.

"So what day is it?" Rose questions, breaking the tension.

"April 13," I respond.

"Only one day. One day. It seems unreal," she says to herself.

"We aren't going to stay and watch, right?" I press.

"No, as soon as I figure out what is off about the tear we're leaving," he promises. The waiter returns with a glass of dark, red wine, the tall, impressive bottle, and two wine glasses filled with water and ice. He takes a small sip of the wine, and gives a small, satisfactory nod. My eyes follow the glass, and I reach my hand out to grab it. Before I can reel it in, the Doctor snatches the glass. He eyes me carefully, a stern look on his face.

"One, _small_ sip," he emphasizes.

"I know," I ignore. He lets go of the glass. I bring the glass rim to my lips, and take a small taste of the wine. The bitter taste dances on my tongue, and I fight hard not to gag. Damn regeneration.

"It's…good," I manage to splutter through a dry cough. I offer the glass back to him, and he smirks with triumph. I gulp down my water, trying to wash the awful taste off my tongue. Out of the blue a man with medium brown hair and fair skin comes striding up to us. He wears a tailored, black suit, showing of his slim and somewhat tall figure.

"Good evening, sir and ladies. I just could not sit idly by why such a beauty was sitting just across the room from me. I'm John Thayer, but you may call me Jack. Now beautiful girl, who might you be?" He asks with such ease and charm. My hearts flutter in my chest, and I find my hands shaking and my palms perspiring. I am about to reply, but the Doctor springs up from his chair and interjects.

"Her name is Ava Smith."

"Well it is a pleasure to meet you, Ava. Now would you be so kind as to introduce me to your friends?" Jack questions, looking to Rose and the Doctor.

"That is my best friend, Rose Tyler, and that is-" I start.

"John Smith. I'm her father," the Doctor finishes. I pull at my dress in anger, but succeed in keeping the welcoming smile on my face.

"Ah. It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Smith. What a fine daughter you have here. Not to be rude, but I can't help but noticing that you look rather young to be her father. Not to mention you do not share the same accent. Where are all of you from?" He questions in the most polite way possible.

"Her mother was an American. Well, you know things happen, and we chose to marry very young. I'm originally from England, but Ava here was born in Pennsylvania. Never did take to my accent," the Doctor lies with a smoothness and elegance that proves he has done this before.

"Very well. Mr. Smith if it's alright with you I was wondering if I could steal away Ava for the night? Take her on a walk around the boat deck. You can send whomever you desire to supervise if you wish that we are watched carefully," he purposes. The Doctor opens his mouth to reply, but I stand up and interject my own opinion.

"I'm sure it will be alright, and no surveillance is required. Right, father?" He frowns, irritated by my outburst.

"Yes, Ava. I _trust_ you fully. Now Jack I want you to have her back here by eight o'clock sharp," the Doctor sighs.

"I'll have her back in your care at 7:55. Not a second early, not a second late," Jack assures with an excited grin. He extends his hand to me, and I take it with a giggle. He leads me around the table past the Doctor.

"Thank you," I whisper in the Doctor's ear as I pass by. He simply nods, returning to his chair across from Rose. My breath slows as I look into his ice blue eyes. They dance mischievously making my hearts skip a beat. What wonderful things could be in store for the next two hours?


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

*Rose's Point of View*

The Doctor looks out toward the door, as the young couple disappears from the entrance.

"You know he is a rather handsome bloke. I hope she has fun, she really needs it," I state, leaning my chin on my hand. He stiffens, and pours more wine into his glass.

"He isn't _that_ handsome. Besides nothing's going to happen, right? Just a short walk around the top deck," he rationalizes more directed toward him than me. I shrug my shoulders.

"I mean _anything_ can happen in two hours," I tease with a raised eyebrow. His eyes widen, and he takes a long drink of his wine. "I was just jokin'. I'm sure she'll be fine," I sigh. He rubs his face.

"I just don't want her to do anything stupid. Like falling in love with him," he renders. I feel my face grow hot with a blush.

"What's wrong with falling in love?" I ask my heart thumping strong and hard against my chest.

"Nothing when it's two humans or two Time Lords, but a Time Lord and a human can never be together. A human can spend the rest of their life with me, but I can't spend the rest of my life with them. They will grow old and wither away, but I'll always live on. I won't let her put herself through that," the Doctor answers, staring me straight in the eyes. I look down. It's practically impossible not to fall in love with the Doctor. He sends my head spinning with his brilliant mind and dashing good looks. After all he is the one who showed me the universe. He answered every question buzzing in my mind except one that I've always been too shy and frightened to ask. Every time I mustered up enough courage to ask, it all came crashing down when I looked into his hollow eyes. The pain and suffering made me shy away in fear. Just one question I don't have the answer for. Do you love me? I snap back to reality, and blush a deeper crimson.

"Well, I think you also need to loosen the lease a little bit too. You have to let her make mistakes, and learn from them. This is her time to question authority, to think for herself, to make the most idiotic mistakes! She has to become blind to see, to become stupid to gain wisdom," I advise. He shakes his head.

"Time Lords are different humans," the Doctor claims.

"From what I see teenagers are teenagers. They can be moody, loud-mouthed, sassy, and absolutely mad, but that's one thing you sign up for when you decide to have kids," I reply, taking a long sip of water. He twirls the wine in the glass.

"Unlike humans, we mature much later. She won't be full grown until, eh, 80? Give or take ten years," he answers. I practically choke on my water.

"80? Blimey, why so late?"

"Well, we do live hundreds of years." I can't help but laugh at the thought of the Doctor having to deal with a hormonal girl for another 65 years.

"Do you want to walk around the boat deck? It's a gorgeous night," he suggests.

"Doctor, I refuse to spy on her! Come on he seemed like a nice bloke. Give them a chance. Besides you've embarrassed her enough already," I gasp.

"We'll just walk around the boat, and avoid them, okay?" The Doctor assures.

"Fine, but if we find them you will be civil and _not_ embarrassing," I settle.

"Allons-y!" He states, leaving a generous amount of money on the table for the waiter. We make it to the boat deck, the air crisp and cold. I link my arm into his, and we stroll along the wooden deck. The Doctor begins to point out the stars sparkling in the sky, naming all of them.

"Doesn't all that information get to you? I mean if you can see everything then there is no mystery to life," I question.

"It gets to be a little much sometimes, but I wouldn't change a thing. I think I would go mad being stuck in simple, timey-wimey deprived mind, but I do know some people that have run away or gone insane from the time vortex. On Gallifrey when a child turned eight they were taken away from their families to an academy. It was there that they looked into the time vortex for the first time. Some who could handle the information were stimulated into a regular Time Lord, while the weaker bunch either ran away or went completely mad from all the material buzzing through their heads. One of my childhood friends couldn't handle the pressure of a Time Lord. He went insane, and ran away for years. Only to return, and-Well, the rest isn't important," he answers faithfully.

"Does it have to do with Ava?" I ask quietly.

"Yes." I tug at his arm to continue. He sighs, but doesn't protest. "When he returned from who knows where, he came back a different person. That little boy that ran away so many years ago had become calloused and contorted into a different man. He didn't lead on to that in the beginning. Anyway there was a girl I liked at the time, Theria Calypso, blimey she was a pistol. She always beat out the boys at the academy, proving her worth and allegiance to Gallifrey. I was always too shy to talk to her since she was so tough and critical of others, but he wasn't. My childhood friend stole her away from me just like that. They dated for two years before getting married. We both remained good friends even though I resented him from stealing the woman I loved. We soon went off to war together, and that's when I noticed he had changed. He was merciless. He was so ruthless to the enemy that I also feared him. In the academy we were taught of peaceful purposes, and to turn to violence as a last resort. That was clearly not ever his intentions. We returned home with glory to find that Theria was indeed pregnant. In the month that you know as July, July 27 to be exact Avani Genevieve was born. He was furious. He had his hearts set on a boy and he made his motives clear to Theria and I. He left her at the hospital with the newborn baby clinging to her chest I pitched in to help raise her, but also had a duty to Gallifrey. I would go off to war, but always returned home to them with toys and gadgets of all kinds," he proceeds. I nod my head, only pitying Ava. She led a tough life from the minute she was born. Not only did her father disgrace her and leave her and her mother in the hospital, but she was also continuously lied to saying that her father was a noble man who died fighting to save Gallifrey. On top of all that her mother was killed right before her eyes, and she was forcibly sent away to the earth alone at the age of 8. Finally the icing on the cake is that she forgot who she was (thanks to the fob watch), and ended up in an abusive orphanage, only to find out seven years later she and her lost friend were the only left of their kind. Not to mention she doesn't know that along with the Time Lords Gallifrey was destroyed. It just seems that her life is meant to be miserable. The universe just seems to throw another thing at her when she thinks that life cannot get any worse. Hatred bombarding her to the point where she is shriveled up on her knees. But the Doctor fights back shielding her from more hatred that threatens to break through the inseparable bond. The Doctor loves her with every fiber in his being, trying to combat every hurtful thing that's been done to her. His eyes light up and a toothy grin spreads across his face every time she walks into the room.

"She is so young too. To be dealing with all this. All that she ever had going for her is gone. Dead. Lost. She is so strong though. I've never seen her show an inkling of weakness. Never one tear has fallen from her eyes," I reply. His distant eyes come back to reality.

"And that will be her downfall. Pretending to be strong for the sake of not wanting to look back at the things that have hurt you will eventually hurt her even more," the Doctor confesses. I can't help but giggle.

"I feel like a shrink! Ava's telling me that she doesn't think you can let go of her if it's between billions of people or her, and I have you saying that you think she will eventually come crashing down because she keeps running away from her awful past. Have a little faith in each other! You need to get off her back about her need to face the pain head on, and she needs to stop testing your integrity," I vent. He startles at the harshness of my voice, but grimaces in anger.

"I promised her mother I'd take care of her, and it's my job to protect her," he answers coldly.

"Yes, but critiquing her for constantly running so she doesn't have to look back at all the things that hurt her is being hypocritical. She learned it from you, Doctor except you know where you're running. She has no idea who to turn to," I reveal. He stares straight ahead, his lips forming an irate line.

"I know, but she can never become me. If she did I'd never forgive myself." I push back the blonde hair that plagues my eyes.

"She would be lucky if she is anything like you," I comfort rubbing his arm. He grins.

"Well, I am brilliant, aren't I?" The Doctor brags.

"Oi, don't be getting a big head! I was being nice," I scold. He chuckles, and shakes his head.

"Ah, Rose Tyler you always know the right things to say. Most of the time. You lost your touch with Queen Victoria," he criticizes. I shove him in a playful manner, and laugh.

"I swear I thought I heard howling that night after we had to come back because you dropped your sonic screwdriver somewhere in the fields. It took me two days to get all the ticks out of my hair!" I giggle.

"I offered to use the-" the Doctor defends, but I interrupt.

"I don't want anything sonic done to my head, thank you very much. Keep your timey wimey stuff to yourself."

"Despite the money I lost and the blood-sucking arachnids in your hair, what did we learn when we were there?"

"Queen Victoria is a werewolf!" I squeal.

"Owoooo!" He calls.

"Ow, ow, owooo!" I respond. I fall forward laughing hysterically, and he embraces me in his arms also caught in a fit of laughter.

"Rose Tyler you are brilliant!" I bury my face into his shoulder taking in the sweet smell of cologne lingering on his clothes. After swinging me around to the point of nausea he sets me down on the ground, and beams. We continue to walk around the boat deck, exploring every nook and cranny. At 7:50 we run into the sweet couple who are heading back down the deck toward the dining room. Ava links her arm around the crook of is, and they continue to discuss the many stories of Edgar Allen Poe. Before we can scramble into the shadows, we catch their eye.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Oh, hello Mr. Smith, Miss Tyler. Didn't expect to see you two wandering about the deck. Enjoying the view?" Jack asks, looking up at the starry sky.

"Very much so. It was such a beautiful night that we couldn't stand being cooped up in the dining room. The stars are just magnificent," I answer with a genuine smile. I feel the Doctor's arm tighten around mine, and he maintains a straight, serious face.

"Yes, very romantic, eh? Are you two…?" Jack questions. A blush washes over my cheeks, and I yank my arm away from the Doctor.

"No! No. Never, _ever _would we be… She's my best friend!" I become defensive as the Doctor denies his allegations too. I am too worked up that I don't notice the Doctor's slightly hurt and surprised expression when I emphasize never and ever.

"Well, I think I owe you back to your father. I will see you tomorrow for the party, yeah?" He questions, turning to Ava. She grins from ear to ear.

"Of course. Bye, Jack!" Ava answers, a sweetness enveloping her tone. His lips graze hers in a gentle kiss, and he nods to the Doctor and me.

"Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, miss. Goodnight, Vi," he bids before taking off down the boat deck.

*Ava's Point of View*

As soon as Jack is out of sight the Doctor whips out his trusty sonic screwdriver. He waves the florescent blue light all over my body, searching for foreign alien readings.

"You're not going to find anything," I huff.

"There's something off about him. I can tell," he answers in an absentminded tone. The Doctor focuses in on his readings, and his face scrunches up in confusion.

"Well that's just not possible," he replies, shoving the screwdriver pack into his pocket.

"What?" Rose inquires.

"He's 100 percent human."

"Is it really so shocking that a guy may actually like me? Thanks for the self-esteem boost, _dad_," I respond my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I didn't mean it like _that_. Now shush I'm thinking. What could mascaraed as a human, and not be picked up by my sonic screwdriver? Think! Think! Think!" The Doctor hushes, banging his head with his hands.

"I know!" I exclaim.

"What?"

"Well let's see, perhaps a human," I mock.

"You know it would help if you would cooperate and _shut it_ if you have nothing valuable to say," the Doctor snaps.

"Oh so now I don't have anything worthwhile-"

"Ch. Ch. Shut it. Now it could be…no. Or…no. Perhaps a Plasmavore, but what would they be doing on a 20th century ship? What would be special about their blood?" He rants, thinking out loud.

"What's a Plasmavore?" Rose questions.

"It's an alien that appears to be human, but sucks the blood of its victim. They are ruthless murderers," the Doctor explains.

"Kind of like vampires?" Rose suggests.

"No, vampires don't exist. They are like a hybrid of leeches and humans. Huh, a hybrid of leeches and humans. Heeches, Lumans, or Heechans."

"Well, that's disgusting," she mumbles. The Doctor continues to whisper inaudible things, raging on about the Plasmavores and other potential aliens.

"Ava, did he act strange at all? Refusing to drink regular liquids or refusing to eat any food," the Doctor urges. I move my fingers across my lips, signaling that I am unzipping my mouth.

"I was told not to speak," I point out with certain coldness to my voice. He rolls his eyes.

"Oh come on, Ava. Don't be daft and childish," he growls. I stay silent, not even acknowledging his insult. "I can always delve through your memories and thoughts about tonight. I can see _everything_ you did. Snogging and all." I bite my lip, and my cheeks turn a deep pink.

"You wouldn't dare," I rebut.

"Try me." I ponder the options. I mean it's not like we did anything bad or forbidden, all we did was kiss a couple of times…well maybe more than a couple, but I don't want the Doctor to see that. It's just weird, kind of like the feeling you get when you're father begins to realize that you are not his little girl anymore and insists you talk about it with him. Not that I would know, but I've seen it and read about loads of times.

"No, it's none of your business," I counter.

"You two were snogging weren't you? And why did he call you, _Vi_?" The Doctor accuses. I blush even deeper.

"No, and it's his special nickname for me. I _like_ it."

"Liar. What kind of a nickname is Vi? Sounds daft to me!"

"It's none of your damn business what I do and what people call me! Geez, can you just calm down? Nothing happened!" I respond. The Doctor opens his mouth to say something, but Rose beats him to it.

"Oi! Would both of you stop shoutin'! People are going to hear. Come on we can continue this argument in the TARDIS."

"Gladly," I sneer, and begin to stalk away from them.

"Don't think you're getting out of this one. We are going to sort this out when we get back, Avani Genevieve!" He calls from a few yards behind. I roll my eyes, and smirk. He only calls me Avani Genevieve when I'm in trouble, and there is only one thing I want to say to him. Lay off...

* * *

"I want you to stay away from him. There is something not right about him," the Doctor warns, fiddling with his sonic screwdriver.

"I'm not staying away from him. We have plans tomorrow," I admit.

"Well, you're schedule has been officially cleared. Besides you should be focusing on your studies. After all you are still a student." I groan.

"Why are you being so, ehhh? You used to be cool until you went all…psycho. Would you lay off?" I complain.

"I'm cool! Rose aren't I still cool?" The Doctor yells to her across the TARDIS.

"Yeah, very cool." I cross my arms.

"Well, I'm still going to the party _with_ or _without_ your approval," I conclude.

"Avani. You. Are. Not. Going."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"_Yes, I am_."

"_No, you're not_."

"You have to stop treating me like a child! I can handle myself! For example, the virus! Hell, both of you would be dead if _I_ didn't build that sonic heater!" I explain.

"Yeah that was brilliant, but what wasn't brilliant was your organs failing after you stupidly fused the wire into yourself. If _I_ wasn't there you would have burned to death. So your support is invalid," he retorts.

"I was the only power source strong enough to work the-you know what it doesn't matter. Whatever, I don't care. Now if you don't mind I have to go pick out a ball gown for tomorrow evening," I hiss.

"Avani Genevieve, you are not going to that party. If you want to go you'll have to get through me first, and remember I'm the Doctor. The lonely god, the man without a home, the oncoming storm. Don't mess with me," the Doctor cautions.

"And I'm Avani Genevieve. The lonely goddess, the girl without a home, the lightning in the oncoming storm. I am everything you are. I am perfectly capable of everything you do," I whisper, leaning in close to his face.

"No you aren't. You can barely do anything without killing yourself in the process. You are a reckless child!" My anger boils over.

"I don't need your protection, Doctor. You're being ridiculous! Look at the readings of your sonic screwdriver they say he's 100 percent human, why can't you get it through your thick skull. Is it really that bad that a guy, a normal guy might actually like me?" I explode.

"Yes because you're not a normal girl. You can't fall in love with him. He'll die, but you'll keep on living. You'll always remain young, while he grows old and withers away. It wouldn't be fair to the either of you," he explains with an eerie calmness.

"Is that what his really is about? You can't stand the fact that I am falling in love with a human? What are their aliens out there that are much better than humans?" I inquire in an incredulous tone.

"No. No one can live as long as us. You can never be married or have kids with someone, and expect them to always be with you," the Doctor answers darkly.

"Doctor, I am going to get married and have kids with whomever I choose. We are the only two Time Lords left, so marrying a Time Lord is out of the question. I am not eight anymore. I am fifteen and deserve to be treated like an adult. You can't keep telling me what to do, what to say, and how to act. I am my own person. I am capable of saving the universe just like you. So stop, just stop trying to protect me," I stutter with rage. Before he can reply I storm off toward my room.

"Avani, come back. This isn't over!" He calls angrily.

"Yes it is, and if the oncoming storm has a problem with it than bring on the rain!" I snap.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

*Rose's Point of View*

"Why doesn't anyone listen to me? Do I just have a face people don't listen to?" The Doctor vents, falling back on the railing of the TARDIS.

"Like I said before, loosen the leash. Try to understand where she's coming from. You're not _always_ right," I remind.

"But she's being so bloody difficult! I'm just doing this for her own good! Blimey, I hate this age. The others were never like this," he vents. _The others_…He paces across the floor, his fists jammed into his pockets.

"Why she being so stubborn? Are all human teenagers like this?" He questions. I grin.

"_All_ teenagers are like this. Probably doesn't help that you're constantly criticizing her on all her decisions, and that you treat her like she's 11," I affirm. The Doctor's dark eyes finally turn to me in confusion.

"Do I really criticize her?"

"Yeah. Whenever she gets us out of something you have to go on about how incredibly stupid it was of her. Not to mention that she can't have any fun without you butting in."

"I'm just trying to help her, and prevent her from making the same mistakes I made. And what do you mean I don't let her have any fun?" The Doctor inquires.

"This was the first time she ever asked you if she could take a break from all the aliens and have fun with a boy she liked, but you had to go and be all over-protective. She just wanted to have fun and be a normal teenager for one night, and you couldn't even let her have that," I reply. He casts his eyes to the floor.

"Theria told me to protect her. She died three days after she met me. I screwed up once, and it's not going to happen again."

"Doctor, she did it to save you and her both. She died so that both of you could live. Ava didn't die because you were being careless. She did it on her own accord."

"But that's the point. No one should ever have to die to save me. Especially not my daughter. I'm supposed to be protecting her, not the other way around," the Doctor snaps.

"Doctor, now listen to me and listen good there is only one way for you to connect with her and that is for you to lay off. Let her go to that party and have fun. I can promise you that he is who he says he is, and that you're worrying about nothing. For once in your life listen to me and bloody trust me," I demand. The anger in his eyes soften, and he nods.

"Fine, for the sake of my sanity."

"Now go in there, apologize, and tell her that she can go to the party," I urge, pushing him toward the hallway.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I never agreed to that."

"Swallow your pride, Doctor. Swallow your pride."

*Ava's Point of View*

I lay on top of my bed, staring at the ceiling. I let out a deep sigh and close eyes. My head pounds with thoughts. Time Lord migraines are 10 times as bad as human migraines. Just imagine a splitting headache with a billion formulas, numbers, and memories running through your mind. Yeah, ouch. I pull a white, fluffy pillow over my head when a knock sounds at the door.

"Come in!" I mumble through the fabric and feathers. The door creaks open, and I peek out from under the pillow.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor asks, approaching the bed. I throw the pillow to the side.

"Just a migraine. What are you doing here anyway?" I respond, my voice turning cold. An awkward silence hangs over the room. He rubs the back of his neck.

"I wanted to apologize for overacting earlier. You are right; I was being unfair to you and Jack both. I'm sorry. I also wanted to let you know that you have my permission to attend the party with Jack," he admits. I rise to a sitting position, mouth gaping open.

"Oh, okay. Thanks," I stammer, still in complete shock.

"Right…yeah. Goodnight," the Doctor bids. He grabs the doorknob to leave, but I grasp his arm.

"No, really thanks. You don't know how much it means to me. I'm sorry about the way I treated you earlier," I confess. A grin spreads across his lips.

"Goodnight, Ava," the Doctor states before exiting the room. I smile to myself. Ava. My name when we are on good terms. Then it dawns on me. I still need a dress for tomorrow! I fly to the closet and begin my search for the most beautiful gown in the galaxy.

* * *

"Are you sure I look okay?" I inquire, my hands fumbling with the fabric between my fingers.

"You look stunning. Jack will not be able to keep his eyes off of you. Let's just hope his hands don't wander. I don't know if the Doctor can handle that just yet," Rose whispers. We both giggle. I don a striking red dress adorned with black lace. The loose, black lace sleeves fall at elbow, and I wear matching black heels. I also pair the ensemble with darker make-up (thanks to Rose), and a large, black clip that holds my hair in a beautiful auburn bun. Two wavy strands of hair are let out of the bun to frame my dramatic make-up, and I look as though I could be on the cover of a Spanish magazine. We both make our way to the control room where the Doctor waits patiently in his own get-up. He has hung up his traditional pin stripe suit, and now wears a dashing black tuxedo with a little white bow tie. In contrast Rose creates her own style by wearing a deep purple dress with black lace lining the plunging neckline. Her blonde hair is tied back into a bun at the nape of her neck with a sparkling diamond clip.

"Wow Doctor you clean up nice," I tantalize as he pulls at the collar of his white button-down shirt.

"Yeah well take a good look because after this I'm not ever wearing anything but my chuck taylors and suit. This monkey-suit is so uncomfortable. I look like a penguin!" He complains adjusting his bow tie.

"Penguins are handsome…I guess?" I laugh.

"Yeah you do look a little ridiculous," Rose confesses.

"Oi! Penguins _are_ very noble creatures. One saved my life," the Doctor defends.

"Really?" I ask.

"No, but it sounded good didn't it?" We both chuckle, and head out the door to go to the party.

"So what's the plan?" I question as we walk down the halls of the third class cabins.

"Well the ship isn't due to hit the iceberg for another hour. We'll stay at the party until the iceberg hits, and then we go investigate the tear. Sound good?" The Doctor concocts.

"What am I going to tell Jack? He is going to wonder why I'm leaving so early."

"I don't know. Tell him you feel sick or something. _Now_ are we all good?" We both nod.

"Allons-y the party waits," he murmurs, leading us both into a huge ballroom on one of the upper decks. The spotless floors shine in the florescent light, and they mirror the images of billowing dresses as they glide across the floor. The intricate designs in the dark wood bring a French air to the room, and the gold candelabras reflect the bright lights. Another monstrous, diamond chandelier hangs in the center of the room. Strangers by the dozens come up and bid us good evening. Then from across the room comes Jack, all dressed up in his best tuxedo. I meet him at the center of the room. I hold my hand out for him to take.

"It's nice to see you, Jack. How are you?" The Doctor greets with a genuine smile.

"Very good, and you?"

"Fantastic, well I guess I'll leave you two. Now love, remember you don't leave this room, got it?" He repeats. I feel my cheeks redden.

"Yes, father," I confirm. He nods before walking with Rose toward a table on the far edge of the room.

"Oh Vi you look absolutely lovely tonight. How could your father keep such a wonderful girl away from persistent suitors for so long?" He compliments.

"By cleaning his shotgun in front of them when they come to call on me," I laugh. He holds my hand up to kiss it, and shakes his head.

"Overwhelming beauty and sharp wits, that shotgun must be so shiny that I can see my reflection," he responds with a chuckle. I giggle as he leads me to the center of the ballroom where men and women are waltzing to the sweet hum of the classical music. "Miss Smith may I have this dance?" My cheeks blush a deep crimson.

"It would be my pleasure," I muse. He takes my small hand into his and places the other one at the bottom of my shoulder blade. I shiver at the coolness of his fingers, but lay my other hand on his shoulder. We begin to glide across the floor, never missing a beat. Never having one misstep. We float to the weightlessness of the music, both deep in thought.

"Now when are you going to start telling me the truth, Vi. I know you have been lying to me." His soft voice resonates in my ear, and his hot breath makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My heart beats quicken.

"I don't know what you mean, Jack. I have not lied to you in the slightest," I answer, my eyes flashing a warning to not prod any further. Technically I never lied to him; I simply stretched the truth here and there, and maybe didn't mention a few things. His blue eyes darken.

"Why do you continue to hide things from me? I thought you liked me."

"I do, very much so, and that's why you need to trust me. I have never lied to you," I persuade, rubbing his shoulder. I lay my hand on his cheek for comfort, and I see thoughts of deception running through his head. I envision his painful nights pacing in his cabin, thinking of what I could be hiding. I feel Jack's hand lift from my back, and he brings it around to caress my face. That is when I notice his eyes become distant. It's like he is looking straight through me; straight into my soul and mind. "Jack, what are you doing?" I inquire, nervousness rising in my voice. _When a door opens it can go two ways_. Thoughts start to flip through my mind. Visions of Gallifrey and my home flash before my eyes. I envision the twin suns rising behind my house in the wee hours of the morning, and the star plagued sky blanketing the planet at twilight. My mind shifts to my mother's gaunt face as she lay dying that fateful night. I see myself glued to the floor, screaming her name as if she can hear me. Tears wash down my cheeks, and my heart aches for the little girl with long, blonde hair. She was so young, so helpless. She didn't want to kill the Daleks, but she did what her mother told her to do. Then a light appears, too bright for a human to handle. The gold light explodes into heat and energy, sending my body buzzing with heat. The Time Vortex. "Jack, stop it! Stop it now!" I whisper a warning. I'm burning. Burning to death. "I said that's enough!" I yell, wrenching his hand from my cheek. He gasps, falling a few steps backward away from me. His eyes widen, and he continues to draw back in fear.

"What the hell was that?" He asks, his voice quavering.

"Jack, let me explain," I begin, approaching the frightened human. Whatever you do don't scare him into doing something stupid. Just as I anticipated he takes off out of the ballroom. I take a deep breath, tossing my heels to the floor. There is one thing you never, ever underestimate with a Time Lord. How fast we can run when the future hangs in the balance.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Reviews? Tell me what you think of the story so far! Let me know if I can change anything to make it better! :D**

"Jack, stop! Let me explain!" I yell, hiking my dress up to my knees so that I can sprint properly.

"I know the Lord is testing my loyalty! Stay back, Satan!" He calls, continuing to run ahead.

"He did not just call me the devil," I grumble to myself in disbelief. We dodge passengers left and right, disapproving whispers afflicting my sensitive hearing. I quicken my pace, and begin gaining ground on Jack. The crisp ocean air bombards my vision, but I'm somehow able to tackle him to the ground. Restraining Jack, I gain my footing and force him into a lifeboat. Jack squirms underneath my weight, but I pin his arms down beside him. I hover above his abdomen one leg on either side of his body.

"Jack, you need to calm down." I state trying to keep my composure, and not lead onto the nerves wracking my body. He proceeds to struggle against my strong arms.

"You're…you're an ali-" Jack yelps, but I cover his mouth and shush him.

"No…yes, it's complicated. Now you need to do me a favor and don't mention this to anyone. Got it?" I give a hopeful smile.

"You're an alien!" He screams through my hand. My hand presses harder against his mouth, and I realize there is only one way I can ensure the future's safety from this loose cannon.

"I'm still the same, Vi right? I still love you, Jack. Show me that you love me," I murmur, leaning down close to his face. I force my lips onto his before he can protest, and distract him long enough to wipe his memory of what happened earlier. Our lips linger a bit after everything is clear, but I break away to see his confused grin.

"What are we doing? Are we in a lifeboat?" He contemplates, peering around the small, wooden vessel. My cheeks become bright pink as I realize what he's thinking. I spring up to my feet, and climb out.

"I had something in my eye, and you were trying to help me," I lie. I wince recognizing how awful of a lie it really is.

"Hmmm doesn't explain why we were in a lifeboat sharing a passionate kiss," he recollects with a smirk. I can't help but return the mischievous smile.

"I guess that's for me to know and you to never find out," I giggle. Jack steps out of the lifeboat to meet me, and holds my face in his hands.

"You know all I remember about this evening was meeting you and talking about your father. I don't remember anything beyond that. I feel like I'm forgetting something," he whispers as if there is something off about him.

"I think you just had a little too much to drink," I suggest, laying my hand over his.

"That must be it, or else I wouldn't do this," he states, returning a kiss to my lips.

"I must be a little tipsy too because I haven't killed Ava yet," a voice informs. We both split apart, and turn toward a fuming Doctor and sympathetic Rose.

"I-"

"I told you to stay in the ballroom. Do you recall me specifically asking you to stay in my sight?" The Doctor smolders, trying to control his temper.

"Yes, but-"

"And you! I told _you_ to keep her in the ballroom too. I leave you two alone for fifteen minutes, and you sneak off to snog! Unbelievable." Anger inside me begins to boil to the surface, but I push it back down my throat. I clench and unclench my fists in an attempt to release some of the negative energy. Explain later.

"I don't even remember sneaking off! I don't remember anything since you handed her over to me!" Jack defends. The Doctor's furious features soften, and transform into ones of curiousness. I shoot him a look of "I'll explain later". He receives the message and nods, knowing not to prod any further. Then all of a sudden it feels as though there's an earthquake on the ship. The floors quake, and we begin to lose our balance. I lurch forward into the Doctor, and send both of us back into the railing. Rose and Jack on the other hand are shoved back against the metal wall on the other side, both rubbing the backs' of their heads. A long metallic scraping sound sends shivers down my spine. Massive chunks of ice tumble onto the deck, but then it stops as soon as it had started. Laughter arises from the Doctor and me.

"Are you alright?"

"Fantastic! Now let's go figure out what that tear is!" The Doctor announces. He beams at me, but his face falls when he finally notices Jack.

"What the hell was that? And what is this tear that you speak of?" Jack questions with worry. The Doctor licks his lips, and clears his throat.

"Not important, but Jack this is where we leave you."

"What do you mean leave me? Vi, what is he talking about?" He looks to me, confusion flooding his eyes. I return to his side, and place one hand on his shoulder and the other on his flushed cheek.

"I have to leave you, and I will never see you again. Not ever and it kills me, but it must be done. Now Jack, my wonderful Jack do you remember what I said to you earlier?" I utter, a pang of sorrow hitting my heart.

"No, but why? Why are you doing this to me?"

"Everything must come to an end, but knowing you was brilliant. Absolutely marvelous. Now don't shed a tear for me, darling. It will only make this harder," I comfort. I lean into a kiss, standing on my tippy toes. I pour all that I'm feeling onto his lips, but break away to see the tears streaming down his cheeks. I wipe them away, and manage a small smile. I fall into his arms one last time, digging my chin into his right shoulder.

"I love you. Always remember that. I did this because I love you," I breathe.

"Me too," he answers in an inaudible whisper. I tear away from his arms, and turn to the Doctor.

"Allons-y," I insist weakly, rubbing my eyes. We begin to jog away, and I can't help but look back at Jack leaning against the railing. His head hangs low, and I only want to run back and tell him everything is going to be okay.

"I know that was hard. Are you sure you're okay?" The Doctor gives my hand a loving squeeze.

"No, I'm not, but I will. Just like one day you'll forgive yourself," I reply. That's the one thing the Doctor needs, but can't earn from anyone. The one thing that only he can provide. Forgiveness. Forgiveness for what he did to our people.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Sorry this one is short, but I know I might not be able to post something later. Enjoy! :)**

We run down to the starboard side of the bow, and see the large gaping gash in the side. Water pours into tear, making it hard to get a good look at it. The Doctor snatches a rope from a hidden cranny, and uncoils it over the edge of the sinking ship. He ties it to a strong metal pole.

"Now if anyone asks what I'm doing show them this," he requests, handing Rose the psychic paper.

"What _are_ you doing?" Rose inquires. He beams with mischief.

"I'm going to propel down the Titanic."

"You're mad! You're going to kill yourself! Doctor, you're going to fall in the water and freeze to death just like Jack in the movie!" She disapproves.

"Ah, but Rose was so thick. There was obviously enough room on that floating piece of rubbish for the _both _of them. If you were crying during that one wait until the remake! I went through two boxes of tissues," he answers.

"Doctor, you're not going down there. I'll go down," I explain.

"No. It's too risky," he disagrees.

"I weigh less, and I know how to use a sonic screwdriver. Don't be stupid," I counter. He runs his tongue over his teeth in thought, and nods.

"Get on with it." I beam, and take his sonic screwdriver. I shove it into my mouth, and grip the rough rope tightly.

"Geronimo!" I mumble. I push myself off the edge, and slide down the rope. My feet press against the freezing metal of the ship causing me to shiver. I peer up at the shining lights of parties and dinners of the first class passengers. Idiots. The damn ship is sinking and they haven't even the faintest idea. The deafening roar of the water becomes louder as I get lower and lower down the rope. The salty sea air slaps me in the face, making it hard to see where I am. When I finally reach the crack in the starboard my heart skips a beat. It's glowing. The tear is leaking light. I pull the sonic screwdriver from my mouth, and fumble with the switches. I cast the blue light over the tear back and forth a couple of times, before grasping it with my teeth.

"There's definitely something going on down here. I'm coming back up," I shout over the crashing waves. I make my way back up the rope, interested in the readings that the sonic screwdriver has of the crack. I am about half-way up when I hear a creak from the rope. As a first reaction I let go of the rope, but catch it in my hands three feet up from the bottom.

"Ava! Are you okay?" Rose yells, fleeing to the edge of the deck.

"Great. Just freaking great. Now would someone please tell me what the hell that was?" I call.

"The rope is breaking. We need the sonic screwdriver! Toss it up!" She answers.

"I can't I'm too far down!"

"Then climb!" I grimace in pain as I force myself up the rope. My feet are numb with the cold, making it hard to keep my footing, and my hands are growing slick from the ocean water. Another creak sounds from the deck, and the rope slips further down the side of the ship. I cling onto it for dear life.

"I can't climb up any further, it's going to break!" I shriek, trying to think of another way to get up on the ship. The frayed rope dwindles 10 feet above me, and I struggle to pull the sonic screwdriver from my mouth. The sonic screwdriver wobbles from my quivering fingers as I try to keep the tool trained on the distressed rope. I blunder through the settings, squinting through the darkness. That's when it slips from my grasp. I swat at the open air. It's too late. _Splash_.

"Dammit! Doctor, I dropped the screwdriver! What do I do?" I cry out.

"You lost my screwdriver? Ava! I love my sonic screwdriver!" He whines, appearing at the railing.

"Forget about the screwdriver! I build you another one! Now _help me_," I snap.

"Right, right. You're dangling above a vast ocean with lethal water. Think," he states, pacing back and forth.

"I'm going down there to get her," Rose states. His eyes widen.

"No, no. It's way too dangerous. It can barely hold her weight, let alone yours." She snatches the rope, and frowns.

"Oi! I weigh less than you, and we don't have enough time to come up with a clever plan. So tell me Doctor what's almost as good as a clever plan?" She challenges with a smile.

"I don't know what?"

"A mad one. Geronimo!"


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

She worms herself down, being mindful of the temperamental rope.

"Rose! Come back up! You're going to kill you and Ava! _Listen to me_!" He yells, digging his fingers into his crazy chestnut brown hair.

"We don't have time! I'm going to go down, and fold the part where it's breaking. It will take pressure off of it long enough for Ava to climb up above it. Now Ava you're going to have to climb fast, _really fast_. I can only support your weight and my weight for so long. Got it? Good? Now go!" Rose commands. She folds the rope over in her hand, and fastens it good and tight. I lick my dry, cracked lips, and proceed to climb up the rope. Only nine feet away. Rose's face scrunches up in pain and concentration as she holds the rope steady. My arms are growing tired after hanging in midair for who knows how long, but I push through and continue climbing.

"For god's sake Rose you're going to kill the both of you! Get back up here, _now_!" The Doctor shouts, leaning over the deck and holding the top of the rope.

"Shut the hell up!" I scream, gritting my teeth. My hands sting and burn from the rawness that the rope has caused, making every centimeter I climb agonizing. I lay my hand on Rose's foot to let her know I'm here.

"Now I'm going to let go, and you need to grab my hand, okay?" I nod my head. She releases the broken rope, and stretches her hand out to me. I can't reach it. _Creak_. The rope snaps.

"Rose!" I scream, but she catches my wrist. I dangle by my one arm.

"Grab onto my foot! I'll pull you up to the rope!" She orders. I move my hands down to her shoe, holding it firm and tight. She fights her way up the rope, wincing with each tug.

"Come on, Rose! You can do it! Just a little further!" I urge.

"Okay, everyone shut up!" She announces. Once she is about five feet up from the bottom, more than enough room for the both of us, she breaks free from my grasp. Through much pain and effort, we climb up the rest of the way.

"Come here, Rose," the Doctor states, arms extended to her. She jumps, and latches onto his shoulders. He swings her over the side, but doesn't let her go for a few seconds. He hugs her, leaning toward her ear. She grins, and nods her head.

"Yeah, of course," she agrees. I roll my eyes.

"A little help, please?" I ask in a strained tone. The Doctor turns to me, and rushes over.

"Right, right. Sorry, Ava," he answers, holding his arms out. I lurch forward, and cling onto his shoulders. He grunts, and pulls me onto the deck. The Doctor sets me down on the deck, and looks between the both of us.

"Are both of you alright?" Rose checks herself over.

"Good over here, Doctor." I peer down at my throbbing hands. My palms and sections of my fingers are flaming pink. The layers of porcelain skin have been worn off, leaving the raw flesh exposed to the outside world. Little blisters fester on the bare surface, threatening to pop.

"My hands," I reply. I display them in front of me, and he strides over to take a look. He examines them with a careful eye. I cringe every time he brushes his nimble fingers over my palms.

"Let's get back to the TARDIS," he states, straightening his arched back. I rise to my feet, and we begin to walk down the deck toward the third-class access. I watch the first-class passengers' parade around the deck in their fine dresses and suits. They turn up their noses at the ship staff, offended by the inferior peoples' presence. In a couple hours none of this will matter. It won't matter if they are wearing silk or rags. Money can't save anyone. They will all sink the same.

* * *

"Ow! Ow! Ahhh…can you be more careful!" I yelp.

"I didn't even touch them! Just stay still!" The Doctor barks. My squirming hands settle, and he inspects them further. I look around at the infirmary. The room is blanketed in white with white counters lining the room. Clear cabinets hang from the walls holding all sorts of medicine and remedies. Three blue hospital beds sit in a row against the far wall, and I sit on the examining table across from them. The Doctor runs to one of the cabinets, and returns with a jar of navy blue goop.

"Now just put this on your hands for exactly five seconds, and the skin should grow back. Don't hold it on any longer or it could cause…other problems," he explains, unscrewing the lid.

"Like what?" He tosses the lid to the side.

"Well…bad, very bad things. Discolored hands, charred hands, possibly death, but as long as you have them in for only five seconds you'll be fine," he encourages. I bite my lip as my hands approach the odd slime. I emerge them into the gooey substance, and count in my head. Two. Three. Four. Five. I pull them out, and study them in awe. The stinging and burning of a few minutes ago is gone. The blue goop has completely disappeared, and my hands are covered with new, porcelain skin.

"What is that stuff?" I question, beaming.

"A home remedy created by me. I got the ingredients from planets all over the universe. Brilliant this stuff is. It can heal minor cuts, burns, and infections," he responds, placing it back in the cabinet.

"Thank you, Doctor," I state, hopping down from the table.

"No problem." I head toward the door, but he stops me.

"Hey if you see Rose, can you tell her to meet me in the main console room?" He requests. A grin creeps across my face, and I nod.

"Yeah, sure thing." My hand reaches the doorknob, but his thick accent stops me in my tracks.

"Oh and one more thing."

"Yes?" I sigh, spinning around.

"You owe me a sonic screwdriver," he reminds with a smirk. I rub my face, and groan. "I want it by tomorrow too, so you better get to work. It's almost 12 o'clock."

"Fine," I grumble. The Doctor is a perfectionist. If it's not exactly how he likes it he makes you redo it the _right_ way. Once I had to redo a project three times before it was acceptable. Crazy, old man. I jog toward the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. This is going to be a long night.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Not much, but something! Sorry, I've been very busy lately and haven't had a lot of time to write. I took some of your advice, and I hope it shines through in this chapter! Enjoy!**

*Rose's Point of View*

"Where's Ava?" I question, gazing around the room. The Doctor rests against the railing.

"Building me a sonic screwdriver," he answers casually.

"You are really making her build you a new one?" I laugh.

"Why not? She said she would build me a new one," he reasons with a shrug.

"True. You know I kinda wish that we could've stayed at the party a little longer," I express, my fingers fidgeting. My cheeks grow hot, and a sheepish grin passes my lips.

"Why is that?" The Doctor asks. I tug at the sleeves of my shirt.

"I don't know. It was just different from the parties that we have at home. The party was so proper, and the dancing…well, the dancing was just more _appropriate_," I explain.

"Appropriate? What parties do you go to, Miss Tyler?" The pink on my cheeks darken to an obvious red color.

"Oh come on. Don't tell me that you've never been to a college party!" I answer in disbelief.

"Nope."

"So you've been to planets billions of miles away, but you've never been to a college party? Wow, I'm shocked," I tease.

"If they are so great, why don't you take me to one? I can take the TARDIS back to your time period like that," He suggests, snapping his fingers. My mouth drops, but knowing how ridiculous I look I instantly clamp it shut.

"I never went to college. I only went to parties with some of my friends who were dating college guys," I clarify.

"Well then if you can't take me to one, then tell me what they're like." I chew on the inside of my lip. This is not something I want to explain to a man who is over 900 years old. It just seems wrong.

"Uh… well, there are a lot of students. They usually play idiotic drinking games. There are also…um guys and girls there so there's a lot of kissing and stuff." I stumble through the words, a heavy awkward feeling commanding the room.

"You mentioned something about dancing earlier too. Why don't you show me how they dance at these parties?" The Doctor proposes. He fights to keep the smirk off his face.

"Oh, shut up! It's not like I did any of those things," I retort, lightening my tone with a smile.

"Rose Tyler, you are so human," he chuckles. I cross my arms in a defensive manner.

"I can't help it!"

"That's what makes it so funny," the Doctor points out, running toward the controls. "Now where do you want to go? Past, future, please don't say present. The present is so boring! Well, lately it's been. Anyway, where do you want to go?" I shrug my shoulders.

"A couple years into the future?" I answer.

"Not a couple _million_ years?" He asks.

"Nope, just a couple. Maybe 2012?" I reply.

"Blimey, you humans are boring. Fine, we'll go to 2012," the Doctor mutters. He yanks levers, presses buttons, types formulas, turn cranks, causing the TARDIS to toss and turn throughout time. I fall back against the railing, and hold on to prevent from flying into the console. The TARDIS drones and shakes, and begins to slow as we approach our destination. I jolt forward when the TARDIS hits the ground, but I am quick to get my bearings.

"I never get used to that," I heave, striding over to the Doctor.

"You better get some sleep, we'll be heading out there in the morning," he recommends. I shake my head and grin.

"I believe you promised me a dance at the party earlier, before we stormed out," I remind.

"I don't remember promising that," he lies.

"Okay, I get it. You don't know how to dance. You're afraid a mere human being can dance better than a big, powerful Time Lord!" I tantalize.

"I can dance! I danced with you before! Remember you danced with my 9th regeneration," the Doctor defends.

"Yeah but like you said with food, you might be a good dancer in one regeneration and a terrible one the next. Face it Doctor you lost your touch," I provoke.

"Fine. Come on then!" The Doctor challenges. He runs toward the controls, and sets a nice, calm melody. Perfect for waltzing. I give a toothy grin as I fall into waltz position. He positions himself in front of me, and we start to "glide" across the floor.

"You know I was joking before, but it seems I was right. You got two left feet," I laugh.

"Well, it seems I'm a bit rusty," he admits with a grin.

"Ow! Stop stepping on my toes," I giggle a hint of seriousness evident in my voice. Laughter rings about the room as we finally settle on a slow swaying motion. My hands lay on his shoulders, while his hands rest on my waist. The heat of his breath sends shivers up and down my spine, and his smooth humming lulls me into an eerie calmness.

"I want to travel with you forever," I murmur. I look deep into his dark, brown eyes, refusing to glance away with shyness.

"I know," he answers. His face remains emotionless. He has no idea. The feelings I have for him. The pain I feel at the thought of ever losing him. He doesn't even know the beginning of it, and he might not ever. He doesn't know that he is my everything. I want to be his, but I know that I can never fill that spot. I am just a human. He even said he could never marry and have a life with a human. He couldn't stand the thought of losing them. He already lost one family, and he isn't going to stand by and lose another. He could never love me, but that doesn't stop me from striving for the near impossible.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Clearly I don't own the song ****_Old Time Rock and Roll _****by Bob Seger. I just used some of the lyrics for this chapter. Anyway, tell me what you think! Review! :D**

*Ava's Point of View*

"Here take it!" I state, thrusting the sonic screwdriver into his hand. The Doctor pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and inspects the item with care. He points it at a gate a few yards away and it creaks open at his command. The Doctor looks over the sonic screwdriver again, and gives an approving nod.

"Not bad. The blue light is a little dim and the timey wimey sound is a tad sharp, but wait oh! The-" He criticizes, but I stop him there.

"I was up _all_ night trying to build _you_ a sonic screwdriver. I really don't want to hear it. I am _exhausted_. You can build one yourself, or just _deal_," I warn through gritted teeth. Dark, puffy, purple bags hang heavy below my eyes, and I guzzle down the last portion of my second pot of coffee. He tucks it away in his pocket, and smiles.

"It'll do." I smirk in triumph, and collapse against the TARDIS.

"So where are we?" I ask, peering around.

"Well, I set the TARDIS to go to London 2012, but it appears that we have landed in America 2012. Strange," he responds absentmindedly. The Doctor strides forward. He looks around the small suburb that we landed in, and squints at the skyscrapers in the distance. He drops down to the ground, and licks the pavement.

"That's disgusting," Rose gags. He contemplates the taste, before hopping back up to his feet.

"Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Roughly May 4. Ah we should have gone to Mexico for Cinco de Mayo! They know how to throw a party down there!" The Doctor declares.

"How did you do that?" I question in awe.

"Every place and year has a different chemical compound. It's a skill you adapt when you travel for many years."

"Huh, that's cool and strange at the same time. Anyway what do you guys want to do?"

"Well, it looks like Ava wants to sleep," the Doctor states while nodding toward the TARDIS. My head bobs up and down, and I fight to keep consciousness. I lean back on the TARDIS for support so that I don't fall over. I can't help my drifting and spacing, but my name catches my attention.

"What?" I snap awake.

"You're falling asleep against the TARDIS. Maybe you should take a rest today. Nothing should happen anyway," Rose advises. She lays a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. Allons-y," I yawn, stumbling forward.

"Go get some sleep. You can barely walk straight," the Doctor disagrees, steadying my wavering body.

"Are you sure you won't need me?" I make sure, looking from Rose to the Doctor.

"I've been travelling with the Doctor some time now, and we somehow made it through back then. I think we'll manage. Just make sure you lock the door," Rose assures with a smile.

"Okay, well, have fun," I bid, entering the TARDIS. They both nod in agreement, and begin to walk away. I close the door, lock it, and lean back against it. Finally, I have the TARDIS all to myself.

*Rose's Point of View*

"This could be huge!" I exclaim, striding through the door. The evening locusts are cut off by the slam of the door, and the Doctor pulls ahead of me.

"Yeah, there's definitely something going on in there. We'll need Ava to do some investigating," he says throwing his trench coat on the floor.

"You know Doctor; it would be nice if you knew how to pick up after yourself. I don't know how many times I've tripped over this coat!" I sigh, folding it up and neatly hanging it on the railing.

"Oi! How many times do I have to tell you _not_ to touch the TARDIS controls? She is a very sensitive type of machinery! One wrong move, and you could get sucked into the Time Vortex," he scolds.

"I didn't touch the controls. I never do for exactly that reason!" I defend, crossing my arms.

"Well someone did. They are perfect. Absolutely perfect. I mean I left them all askew, before we left," the Doctor muses.

"Do you hear that?" I question. I strain my ears to hear a faint noise a couple hallways away from the console room.

"Yeah. It sounds like music," he adds. We both hurry out of the console room, down the twisting hallways, and to Ava's room. The music becomes louder as we approach the door, curious to see as to what the young Time Lord is doing.

"I thought she would be sleeping," I whisper.

"Well, we were gone for several hours. We Time Lords get very restless," he replies. We open the door a crack, and what we see makes our jaws drop.

"Still like that old time rock and roll

The kinda music just soothes the soul

I reminisce about the days of old

With that old time rock and roll!" Ava sings, typing something on her laptop. We creep further into the room, the music now at a blaring level. She finally looks up from her screen to see us gazing around the room, and she instantly rips the aviators off the bridge of her nose. Ava scrambles with the remote control and she turns off the stereo system.

"What are you guys doing back so early?" She interrogates, hopping up from the bed.

"What are you doing?" I ask. The room is cluttered with tools, metal scraps, screws, nails, blueprints, and things from other planets that I have no idea about. Tons of bags of candy cover her bed, from gummy worms to pixie sticks, and a large disco ball hangs from her ceiling.

"I rested like you said," she answers.

"And then?" The Doctor prompts. She fumbles with her fingers.

"Well, I got bored, so I built two sonic guns, and tweaked some stuff with the TARDIS. Turns out she likes me better than you! After that I had a couple hours to spare, so I wrote a whole thesis about different alien cultures, and the science that proves and disproves their theories. I needed some music, therefore I dug around in the Doctor's room for some of his CDs."

"Yeah, never go in the Doctor's room for music. Bob Seger, really? How old can you get?" I tell her for future reference. I arch one eyebrow to the Doctor.

"It's good music. I have a lot of alien stuff too," he responds. Then it dawns on him. "Wait you were tweaking with the TARDIS! What did you do to her?"

"Just some timey wimey stuff that needed adjusting," Ava admits.

"And you built two sonic guns, and wrote a thesis on alien cultures?" I finish.

"Yeah, it was a pretty boring day actually," she replies in a casual tone.

"She's like a freaking child genius," I mutter to the Doctor.

"And you're surprised? She is a Time Lord," he reminds me.

"I guess I forget sometimes."

"I see you found the candy cabinet in the kitchen," the Doctor points out with a grin. She smiles sheepishly.

"I couldn't refrain."

"No matter. You better get to sleep you have a big day tomorrow," the Doctor concludes.

"What do you mean?" Ava inquires. A mischievous smirk comes across his lips.

"You're going to school."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

*Ava's Point of View*

"Hello, I'm Mr. Smith. I'll be filling in for Mrs. Hannigan for the week. Now what class is this again?" The Doctor introduces.

"Honors Physics, we're freshmen. How do you not know the class you're teaching?" A girl questions in an incredulous tone.

"Brought me in last minute. Okay, now roll call. Kyla Abernathy?

"Here."

"Ryan Becker?"

"Here."

"Jonathon Bokan?"

"Here."

"Rebecca Elridge?"

"Here."

"Adrew Gallagher?"

"Here."

"Grace Isbel?"

"Here."

"Charlotte Milner?"

"Here."

"Daniel Moore?"

"Here."

"Eric Niles?"

"Here."

"Ava Smith?"

"Here," I mumble.

"Alexis Vincent?"

"Here."

"And Taylor Zajak?"

"Here."

"Okay, well, it's nice to meet you all. So I'm going to put a couple problems up on the board, and you'll have five minutes to solve them," he states, turning toward the board.

"Are you new here?" Taylor whispers from the seat next to me.

"Um, yeah. Totally new," I stutter, pushing back one of my French braids.

"Well, I'm Taylor Zajak. Oh, I guess you already knew that, but I was just wondering if you wanted to sit with Kyla, Lexi, and me at lunch. I mean you don't have to, but I wasn't sure if you had anyone to sit with," she offers. Her hair is a light blonde, and its crazy curls explode in all directions. Her eyes are a soft blue; they are welcoming and somewhat nice.

"Maybe," I answer, copying down the problems on the board with haste. I speed through the problems, my hand flying across the page. The numbers and formulas circulate in my head, not even needing to be written down on the paper set before me. I tap my pencil on the edge of my desk, yawning with boredom. It has only been 30 seconds. Averaging about 6 seconds per problem. I would have been done in 25 if I hadn't been so stupid. I can't believe I tripped up on the elastic collision problem. I have been doing those since I was six years old.

"You're done already?" Taylor asks under her breath, looking over at me.

"Um, yeah. Guess I just got a knack for physics," I reply. I rub the back of my neck awkwardly. She returns to her work, and I glance up at the Doctor. He shakes his head disapprovingly. The rest of class we continue to complete problems and the Doctor explains the laws of physics. I lean my head on the heel of my hand, bored beyond belief. I've known all this stuff since I was seven. Why are humans so academically slow and superficial? The bell rings for lunch, and I gather all the books into my arms. I follow the herd of students, but a voice stops me.

"Ava, can you stay after for a moment?" The Doctor requests while summoning me toward his desk.

"Yeah," I reply. I wait until all the rest of the students are out, and close the door. "What's up?"

"I need you to figure out why the class is so small. The class is abnormally small for being the only physics class in a school this large," he observes.

"How do you want me to do that?" I ask.

"I don't know. Maybe make some friends," the Doctor proposes. My mouth falls open, and I cross my arms.

"No way! I'm not good at dealing with people my own age. Especially incompetent humans. Incompetent _teenage_ humans to be exact," I refuse.

"Seems like you dealt with Jack pretty well," he retorts. I blush.

"That's different. Besides I'm going to have to leave them anyway, just like I had to leave Jack. I don't want to have to do that ever again," I disagree, shaking my head.

"Okay, fine. I don't care how you get the information, just get it. I'm going to try to snoop through the office records. Try to act normal. The fact that you solved all those problems, and had time to do them three times over seems a little suspicious. Try to act like you have a simpleminded human brain, okay?" He sighs, erasing the board.

"Fine, see you back in the TARDIS," I bid, moving toward the door.

"See you later."

* * *

"Here, Ava, sit here!" Taylor calls from across the cafeteria. I clutch my tray in my hands, and grit my teeth behind my lips. The lunchroom roars with voices from the 16 tables that line the room. The walls are a headache inducing white and red color. I move across the room to the middle table where Taylor, Lexi, and Kyla are sitting. I awkwardly sit down next to Kyla who is across from Lexi and Taylor.

"Hi I'm Ava Smith," I introduce myself with a soft smile.

"Hi Ava, I'm Kyla Abernathy, that's Taylor Zajak as you know, and that's Lexi Vincent. So where are you from?" Kyla greets with a sweet smile. Her long, chestnut brown hair is pushed back with a headband, and her brown eyes wait patiently for me to answer.

"Oh, um, I'm from Gettysburg. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania," I answer, glancing from my food back to the three girls sitting before me.

"Cool. What school did you go to? Do you have a boyfriend there?" Lexi pressures with an enthusiastic smile. Contrary to Kyla she has medium length, blonde hair, and striking blue eyes.

"Well, I went to a small private school. You wouldn't know it, and no. I never dated anyone," I lie, feeling my cheeks redden at the thought of having a boyfriend.

"Ah you're such a bad liar, Ava! Who is he? How old is he?" Taylor disregards in that gossip girl kind of way. The thought of his charming blue eyes and that unusually messy brown hair sends my heart a flutter. I don't realize the grin that has grown upon my lips.

"Jack Thayer. He was seventeen," I breathe, reminiscing about our time spent together.

"What do you mean _was_?" Kyla inquires in a soft tone. My eyes glaze over, but I push the tears back.

"I left him. For so many reasons. So many ridiculous reasons," I murmur.

"Oh, well I'm sure you can do so much better," Taylor assures. The subject drops.

"So why is our physics class so small?" I move on. I pick at the disgusting slop on my plate, but decide I can eat later.

"What do you mean?" Lexi asks. She takes a small bite of fruit salad.

"I mean where all the other students are," I clarify.

"They graduated," Kyla states in a casual tone.

"What do you mean they graduated? How can you graduate at 15?"

"Anyone who earns a 98.9 or above in their respective science class, and passes the final exam with a 99 or above gets to graduate. You can graduate anywhere from 8th grade to 12th grade," Lexi finishes.

"That's absurd. There's more to school and life than just science. You have so much more to learn before you can graduate in 12th grade! You lose so much knowledge by completing high school in 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th grade!" I exclaim.

"I don't know. That's just how this school works I guess," Taylor settles with a shrug. I tap my fork against my tray in thought. I stare at my plate, my mind buzzing with ideas and thoughts. There is definitely more to this school than meets the eye.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Not much, but I didn't feel like writing today :/ Since it's so short I might add to it later.**

* * *

"So how bad did school suck?" Rose laughs, as I come charging through the TARDIS door. I slam it behind me.

"Don't want to talk about it. Here give this to the Doctor," I snap. I shove a piece of paper at Rose, and stomp off toward my bedroom. I travel down the hallways and storm into my room. I collapse onto my bed, tossing my book bag to the floor. My head throbs with pain. I pull a pillow over my face, while my head continues to pulse. Stupid migraines. I massage my temples, attempting to clear my mind of all thoughts. I curl up into a ball, and begin to drift. Drifting into a deep sleep. Drifting off into a reality much better than this.

* * *

"Oi, rise and shine. Come on, get up!" The Doctor demands. He shakes me relentlessly, and I throw my pillow at his head.

"Leave me alone!" I growl.

"Come on I let you sleep for an hour. You need to tell me what this says!" He continues. The Doctor grabs my wrists and helps me into a sitting position. I push away the frizzy hair covering my face.

"I feel sick, though," I complain, holding my head. The Doctor whips out his sonic screwdriver and runs it over my body. He checks the readings before stuffing it back in his pocket.

"You're fine. Nothing's wrong. You just got a headache, now tell me what this says," he prompts. He holds out the paper to me, and I snatch it from his grasp. I peer down at what I wrote earlier, and my eyes widen in confusion.

"I didn't write this," I murmur, squinting at the script.

"Sure you did. It's your handwriting." I shake my head.

"I wrote about what I found out from the girls I met. This is all gibberish," I reply.

"That's why I need you to decode what you wrote," the Doctor answers dumbly.

"I didn't code it on purpose, though. I don't even know this language," I state, now becoming frightened. I whimper as another wave of pain wracks my brain.

"You probably did it subconsciously. Then what did you find out?" He prods.

"Um…the girls were saying that students can graduate from 8th grade to 12th grade if they have exceptional science grades. Any students in that grade frame that meet the science requirements are allowed to graduate," I explain through gnashed teeth.

"I looked through some of the records and last year 33 students graduated, but after graduation they were never heard from again. There have been no reports from family or friends which is odd too," he reveals. I clutch my head in my hands, having a million things running through my head at the same time.

"Doctor, my head…" I moan. I twist and turn, trying to gain relief from the stabbing pain in my head.

"I know, but it's just a migraine. You're mother used to get them all the time. It's just an overload of information building up in your head. You'll be fine, sweetheart," the Doctor reassures. He pats my arm, rising from the bed. "Just get a good night's sleep. You've got a lot more work to do tomorrow." I blindly throw a pillow in his direction. The pillow comes flying back at me, and the latch of the door clicks into place. I roll over in bed, now looking up at the ceiling. The buzzing thoughts begin to slow, and eventually stop altogether. There is only one thing running through my mind now. _What the hell is the language that I wrote in earlier?_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**This chapter is longer than the last, but still pretty short. I wrote more, but I had to stop the chapter here! This chapter is really thought-provoking, dramatic, and a bit funny. I really like this chapter, so I would love if you would write a review on your thoughts! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Ava! Ava! Where are you going?" Taylor calls down the hallway.

"Keep walking," I mutter to myself. I reach for the handle of the mysterious door that leads to nowhere. The Doctor found blueprints of the school that doesn't show any levels below the ground level of the school. Yet here lies a door at the end of a dark staircase that leads down below the main floor. Nothing to worry about? I think not.

"What are you doing? We aren't allowed down here! This is the basement!" Taylor squeals in protest, grabbing my arm.

"Go back upstairs," I warn.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing!" She refuses. I begin to grow impatient. One thing that I've learned after dealing with human teenagers for the past two days is that when they sense trouble, they can't help but be a part of it. Brainless apes.

"Taylor, you need to go _now_," I press, snatching my arm away. She doesn't reply, but simply parks herself on the bottom stair, legs crossed. I am about to drag her upstairs by her curly, blonde hair when the Doctor comes sprinting down the steps.

"Sorry I'm late. Mr. Borrell was having me look over his lesson plans for the next couple of days. Blimey, humans are _so_ behind in academics. You knew all that stuff before you were four feet tall! Now let's go have some fun!" He yells down the staircase, but halts at the landing upon seeing Taylor. "Miss Zajak what are you doing here?" The Doctor asks in a firm, yet cautious voice.

"Is this what you're doing? Trying to get some extra credit in physics? Well played, Ava, well played!" She starts out soft, but her voice grows louder with each word.

"What do you mean? The Doctor?" I question, clearly confused. Her eyes widen further, and she gives an incredulous laugh. Damn slip of the tongue.

"Oh so you got pet names for each other now, eh? What does he call you? Sexy or something stupid like that? God, Ava. Fooling around with a man twice your age just so that you can graduate this year? I've heard stories, but I've never-" Taylor continues in a disgusted tone. I feel a blush creep onto my cheeks, and the Doctor's face reddens too.

"We are not…_fooling around_," I stutter. I can barely bring myself to repeat the words that she used, let alone the technical term.

"Then what the hell are you doing down here?" She snaps. I open my mouth to reveal the truth, but the Doctor steps forward.

"Now Taylor come here so I can explain what is happening. I know it's all very confusing, but you need to listen very carefully to me," the Doctor coaxes, drawing closer to the frightened human. Taylor stumbles backward toward the wall.

"Get away from me. Mr. Smith, you're not really Mr. Smith are you?" She stammers. Alarming tears wash down her cheeks.

"No, Taylor. I'm not. Now just come here, and everything will be fine," he answers quietly. Before she can let out a scream or make a break for the stairs, he catches her face in his gentle hands. The Doctor focuses on her face, not letting anything break his concentration. The young human starts to calm down with each moment that passes, and eventually crumbles in his arms. He bends down and sets the unconscious Taylor back on the concrete floor, being mindful of her head. The Doctor hops back up to his feet, and holds out his hand. He nods toward the door.

"Shall we?" He proposes with a grin.

"Allons-y," I giggle, taking hold of his hand. We venture through the door, and the scene before us leaves us speechless. The room is mostly dark with an old, mangy lamp hanging from the middle of the ceiling. Prehistoric computers (not really, but they should be labeled as so) line the room, a student sitting in front of each one. Displayed on the screen are hundreds of complicated formulas, some that I've never seen in my entire life. To the left sits a long table lined with students, mixing countless amounts of colored chemicals. They take the various vials and flasks, and combine the liquids into a huge chemical concoction. To the right of the room lies a large, metal scrap. It has two metal walls with a makeshift control panel in the center. The metal isn't of human origin, though. It's way too perfect and technologically advanced to be manmade. There is only one other thing I've seen with materials of that craft. The only thing that needs the materials to be that perfect, and way beyond the intellectuality of all other alien races out in space. Only one race is known to be intelligent enough to create the logic defying technology. The Time Lords, and what they are building is impossible. It can only be grown, not created by any hand. What they are building only means one thing. Trouble.

"Are they building…" I begin, trailing off. The lack of breath in my lungs refuses to let me finish my question, but it doesn't matter. My stomach drops. I already know the answer.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"What is going on here?" The Doctor yells. He runs to the children at the computers, but they're in a trance. In a far off world where no one can reach them. He bends down next to a young girl, no older than 14.

"Who did this to you?" He inquires in a hushed voice. The girl remains rigid and unfeeling, staring straight ahead. The Doctor positions his fingers on her wrist. The agonizing seconds tick by as he waits and waits for the misplaced heartbeat. His face falls, and he slowly releases her wrist.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry we were too late," The Doctor whispers into her straight, blonde hair. He kisses the top of her head, pain and anger evident on his face. He turns away, running his hands through his hair.

"We are too late. They're all dead," the Doctor mutters controlling the tone of his voice.

"Doctor, I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do. We can save the other students, though," I insist, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He yanks himself away.

"That thing _killed_ all these innocent humans. Mere children. Now it's using their brains and bodies as slaves. They probably enhanced the scientifically advanced part of their brains," he explains.

"Then why did they have to keep killing more and more students? Couldn't they have just continued to use the student slaves they already have?" I inquire, peering around at the emotionless expressions of the teenagers.

"No. Their minds are working at a Time Lord's capacity, and no human brain can handle that for long. They can maybe last a few months at most before shutting down completely. The human is already dead which prolongs the length of time that the brain can function. Whoever is doing this is keeping them 'half alive,'" The Doctor responds.

"How an awful way to live," I state.

"Come on out! I'm the Doctor and I'm going to stop this, right here, right now! Don't be a coward and show your face!" He yells, running in circles around the basement. The room is silent besides the stir of the slaves. "It's the Doctor! Come and get me!" The Doctor screams, pounding his chest with his hands. He has officially gone mad.

"Here I am, Doctor," a deep voice bellows from the darkness. A young man emerges from the shadows. He has short, curly brown hair, and brown, almost black eyes.

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor interrogates.

"Oh Doctor you never really know do you? Probably didn't know I was still alive either I presume?" The man chuckles. The Doctor's jaw tightens.

"I will ask you again, and this time don't get smart with me. What are you doing here?" He barks.

"Unlike you I didn't run away from the war. I stayed and fought until the very last. I got out just in time too, after you burned the planet into nothing. I was forced to use a chameleon arch, and somehow got dumped into this time period. I just figured out who I was a few years ago, but I had no way to get out of here. So I took all the brightest apes out of this school, enhanced their brains with regenerative energy, replaced the dead useless parts of their brains with temporary chemicals, and have been using them to build me a TARDIS," the man explains, nodding toward the working teenagers.

"How did you get the materials? It's impossible to build a TARDIS. It's a living thing!" The Doctor points out.

"Improbable, but not impossible. I have my secrets, Doctor, and you have yours," the man disregards.

"How many have you killed?" The Doctor whispers.

"Oh, probably about, well let's see. Ten, twenty, thirty…hmmm I'm not sure," he laughs.

"Why this school? What's so special about these children?" The Doctor presses.

"Oh, nothing at all."

"Then why did none of their family and friends report them missing?"

"Well, according to my letters they are now at an exclusive science institute in London. They will be there for the next four years, without contact with the outside world. You know to heighten their 'focus and learning ability'. By the time they get suspicious I'll be out of here," the man answers. He paces back and force along the floor.

"I'm not going to let you get away with this," The Doctor refuses.

"Neither am I," I speak up for the first time. The man turns to me and smiles.

"Ah, it seems I almost forgotten you were here."

"Who are you?" I order, pointing my sonic screwdriver in his direction.

"Don't you recognize me?"

"I have never seen you in my entire life. Now tell me who you are!" I shout.

"Oh my sweet, sweet girl, it has been a long time hasn't it? You were only about this big the last time I saw you," he retorts, estimating the size of a baby. My mind hums with numbing thoughts, and the freezing room becomes hot. Very hot. I stagger backward, the sonic screwdriver wavering in my hand. I lick my lips, and wipe the sweat from my brow.

"You're the Master," I stutter, a lump catching in my throat. A malevolent smirk appears on his face.

"Well, that's a little formal isn't it? Perhaps father, dad, or daddy would be more appropriate?" The Master teases.

"Never," I spit.

"Oh come now little Persephone I am your father. There's no denying that now is there?" He replies.

"My name is Avani, and you are not my father. The Doctor is. He was always there from me from the day I was born, unlike you," I answer coldly.

"Don't be stupid, girl. He never loved you. He loved your mother, but couldn't get close to her unless he got close to you," he responds smoothly.

"That's a lie! I know you're lying," I retort.

"He's lied to you. You're name isn't Avani Genevieve. Your mother and I named you Persephone Isra. He and you mother changed your name to protect you from me. He then adopted you, and changed your birth records to say you died a few minutes after birth. I bet he didn't tell you he killed our entire race too, eh? Or that he burned Gallifrey into nothing?" He drawls, approaching me with his hands up.

"You're lying!" I maintain.

"Tell her, Doctor. Tell her the truth for once," the Master commands. The Doctor's straight face falls, and he can't even bear to look me in the eyes.

"Rule one: I will lie to you, but you have to know I did it for your safety and sanity. Avani, you know I love you. Now you need to listen to me very carefully. I-" he confesses. I draw backward, tears glazing over my eyes.

"You lied to me? How-"

"Avani-"

"Persephone. My name is Persephone," I stammer.

"Okay, Persephone-"

"How could you let them all die? How could you burn all of them? Did you hear them scream? How long did they suffer? You're a monster. A destroyer you are. You murdered our people. Everything I held dear, everything that mattered to me you destroyed. You have been lying to me since the day I was born. My whole life is a lie on top of a lie, on top of a lie. When were you going to tell me all this exactly? Don't you think I would find out eventually?" I blunder through the words, now holding my sonic toward him.

"When you were older. I thought you would be able to handle it better in time. I am ashamed of what I did, but I had to. Everything as we know it would be gone. Destroyed. I couldn't let the universe suffer for our selfish needs. We needed to die so everything else could live," the Doctor explains softly.

"But was that all worth losing your daughter over?" I ask.

"I'm not the enemy here! He's trying to drive us apart. He wants you to turn on me!" He shouts, pointing toward the Master.

"For once in your sad, pitiful life tell me the truth! Was it worth losing me?" I scream. The Doctor holds up his hands in defeat.

"Yes." I drop the sonic screwdriver, and run toward him. The one thing that I wanted to hear from him was that the universe was more important. That all my pain and suffering wasn't in vain, that it was all for a greater cause. A cause that I would be happy to die a thousand deaths for. A reminder of all the lies that I endured were because I was the only one who could battle through them. The burden of making sure the Doctor could choose the right decisions for the universe is lifted off my shoulders. I know that someone will always be there if I fail to save the world. I know that the Doctor will be able to continue caring for the universe without me. I am cut off by a searing pain tearing through my brain. I fall to my knees, clutching my head.

"Ava! What's wrong? What are you doing to her?" The Doctor demands while coming to my aide.

"Using her for the only thing she's good for. Destruction."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Okay so this is where Cleverest ends, but the story doesn't. I'm currently writing the sequel which I'll post tonight or tomorrow, whenever I finish the first chapter. I'm not sure about the title yet, but I'll be sure to make a point to mention in the description that it's a continuation of Cleverest. Keep your eye out for it though :) **

"Destruction? What the bloody hell are you doing to my daughter?"

"She's not your daughter. My blood pulses through her veins. I have complete control over her. You are helpless," the Master replies in a malicious whisper.

"Doctor!" I cry out. I squirm on the ground my head pulsating with billons upon billons of formulas and numbers. I contort my body in different and unnatural ways as an attempt to gain relief from the excruciating pain. I return to his attention, and he places his hands on my face. The Doctor yelps, yanking his palms away from my face.

"You're controlling her mind. You are actually _in_ her mind. The migraines, oh the migraines! Yes, yes! You have been in her head all along haven't you? Been creeping into her thoughts?" The Doctor concludes, rising to his feet.

"Do you think that all your misfortune was a coincidence? I've been controlling her timeline since the day I found out she was still alive. I've been in her mind the past couple weeks. The migraines were a simple side effect of the process. I was the reason you crashed in 1863. I was the reason that the virus remained alive. I planted it there, after the rest died out because it didn't have a host. I was the reason that the rope almost broke that day on the Titanic. I was the reason why you are standing here right now. Do you really think you're stupid, human companion came up with this location on her own? I imbedded the idea into Persephone's head, and sent her to suggest it to Rose. But Persephone, the girl that you so desperately love, she'll be the cause of the lonely god's downfall," he gloats.

"What did she ever do to you? She did everything right, never one toe out of line yet you targeted her. Your own flesh and blood, biologically that is. Why did you have to do this to her? Why not me?" The Doctor commands.

"Since we share similar DNA the mental connection is exceptionally greater. The mental connection between you and me is very weak, and provides little ability. On the other hand the mental connection between Persephone and me is unbelievably strong, and the possibilities are endless."

"Forty-eight. Dash. Seven thousand, six hundred, and eighteen. Dash," I scream. The Doctor becomes alarmed as the Master rushes toward a computer, and begins to type in the numbers.

"Ava, what are you doing?" He inquires urgently. Tears fall down my flushed cheeks, my head burning with formulas and numbers of all different languages.

"Nine. Dash. Eleven point one. Dash. Five hundred and fifty nine point six, three, two, seven, nine. Dash," I shriek. A look of realization flows over his features.

"How would she know this?" The Doctor grumbles.

"I beg your pardon. You really must not mumble, Doctor. It's hard to hear you over her screams," the Master tantalizes, continuing to type.

"How does she know that formula? She's only fifteen for god's sake," he thunders.

"She's a computer. A living, breathing computer. The strongest computer in the universe," the Master answers proudly.

"What did you do to her?"

"I've been pumping her brain full of information the past couple weeks. Information from billions of universes and billons of life-forms. Her mind holds the same amount of information as ten regular Time Lord brains would. Didn't notice how suddenly she went from barely being able to create a sonic heater to building a sonic screwdriver and two sonic guns all in one day? It's brilliant really. Revolutionary!" He responds.

"I still don't understand how you did all this? All of this is impossible," the Doctor insists.

"Ah improbable, not impossible. Just a bunch of timey wimey stuff as you would put it. Secrets, secrets, secrets. Ahhh, what lovely things," the Master sighs.

"Her head can't handle all that information, though! Her brain with burn up, and you'll kill her! You'll _kill_ seven billion people including your own DNA concoction," he spits with disgust.

"So great, powerful Doctor, what are you going to do about it? You kill me the whole planet goes up. You kill her, well, I don't think you want to dwell on that," He scoffs.

"Tell me this, Master, what is one thing that you never, ever do if you value your pathetic existence?"

"What?"

"You never hurt my daughter because if you do, well then we have a problem," the Doctor warns. He then rushes to my side as I continue to shout out the buzzing numbers. I will myself to stop, but it's no use. The Master's grip on my mind is too strong. I writhe on the floor in agony, my head burning. The pressure, oh the pressure is unbearable. Even though I cannot talk, my eyes plead with the Doctor. Promise me what you said earlier. _Save them_. He squeezes my hand, but behind the weak smile I can see his head humming with ideas, mad, ridiculous ideas.

"Ava, the fate of the world is up to you now. You're not a computer. You're brain, even though it's Time Lord, isn't meant for this kind of information. It's going to burn out. Don't burn out on me, Ava. Think of all the reasons why you are living. What makes you a lively, young, beautiful girl," the Doctor orders. I close my eyes, trying to fight through all the formulas circulating my brain. I grab at old memories, but to no avail. They all slip between my fingers, and fall back into my subconscious. _I can't_ my eyes beg.

"Yes, you can. I know you can. Think of all the pain you've gone through. Remember how it felt when your father left you in that hospital. Remember how it felt when your mother died right before your eyes. Remember how it felt when you had to leave me. Let all that hurt and pain bubble to the surface. Let all the memories come rushing back. Let yourself feel alive," he urges in a soft tone.

"Five. Dash. Three hundred and forty. Dash," I continue, driving through the numbers toward all the painful memories I tucked away in the shadows. Never to be seen again. I unlatch the door that has been sealed off for so long. The door that I had skillfully locked so that it could never be opened again, well, until now. All the agonizing memories come flooding back to me. They bombard me from all sides, overtaking the equations. A little baby lays in the arms of my mother, the Doctor soothing her as she weeps over the absence of her husband. The baby continues to wail, reaching for a missing face that she knows should be there. Visions of my mother race through my mind, before I see her crumble to the ground at the hands of the Daleks. The little girl with the long, blonde hair stands there bawling at the sight of her mother, and it sends me in a fit of tears. Another memory washes over me. The little girl stands in the doorway of her mother's TARDIS, and the Doctor wishes her a goodbye. She begs him to let her stay, but he declines, knowing it isn't safe for her. She clings onto his body, crying, and he comforts her the best he can. The Doctor. _My _Doctor. My _real_ father.

"Seventy two. Dash. Eight. Dash. One hundred and sixty four," I mumble. The letters and formulas are muffled, but still existent. It's working.

"Come on, Ava! You're doing it! Fight back! Remember all the love that has entered your life now! Remember Jack and how much you cared for him! Remember your mother, and how much she loved you and you loved her! Remember how much I love you! Come on, the earth is at stake!" He eggs on. I envision Jack and me the night we met. How he caressed my face, and shielded me from the cold, wicked ocean air. The taste and touch of his lips against mine, meeting gracefully to create a beautiful romance. That night he told me that he loved me dances around my thoughts, leaving cold lingering tears of betrayal on my cheeks. My mother's face fades in and out, and memories of her telling me tales of the all-powerful Time Lords spin in my mind. Her soft, comforting voice resonates in my memory, leaving me breathless. My mind shifts to the Doctor. I see him walking around the living room in a panic as the bundle cradled in his arms wails. "Shhh…Ava…shhh...mommy will be back soon," he calms. The memories fast forward a couple of years to when I'm five. He takes me on my first trip in the TARDIS to the best amusement park in the universe. We spend the day riding all kinds of rides, from the carousel to the biggest roller coaster in the universe. I see the joy and brightness in his eyes as he looks down upon me. Little Avani Genevieve the light of his lonely world. The little girl who needed him more than anything else in the universe. Even though he didn't know it yet, she was also the little girl that could very well bring the destruction of the Earth, and all its inhabitants. I break free from the bondage of the Master's mind shackles. The number calling ceases, and with the help of the Doctor I gain my footing.

"No! No! You will obey me!" The Master roars. I pull a sonic gun from within my jacket, and direct it at him.

"One move, one toe out of line, and you're finished," I caution. He smirks.

"You can't do it. You were raised by him. You're too weak," he challenges.

"He's not as merciful as he once was, and neither am I. So go ahead, do it. I dare you, _daddy_," I answer, positioning my finger over the trigger. He surrenders his hands, and backs away from the Doctor and me.

"I know when I'm beat. We'll meet again, Doctor. I'm sure of it. As for you Persephone, goodbye. I certainly underestimated you, but no matter. I won the ultimate thing. Destroying the worst thing I created," he bids. The Doctor lunges forward, but he's too late. The Master opens the fob watch, and he crumbles to the ground in agony. We both stand in utter shock and disbelief, and before we know it he vanishes.

"What do we do with the teenagers?" I ask, tucking the sonic gun back into my jacket.

"Put them out of their misery," he answers in a grave tone. The Doctor whips out his sonic screwdriver, and casts it over each corpse. They instantly fall to the ground, finally being allowed to rest in peace. "Give me your sonic gun," he orders. I hand it off to him, and he directs it at the makeshift TARDIS. A green sonic beam erupts from the tip, and demolishes it into atoms in the air. He does the same with all the computers and chemicals, until only the bodies remain in the dark, musty basement. The Doctor destroys all the evidence of alien life-forms.

"Come on, let's go," he states darkly. We exit the basement, and begin up the stairway toward the main floor. My head burns with heat, and I choke back the screams that threaten to escape my lips. I pull off my jacket, knowing that I'm running an awful temperature. The information imbedded in my brain is too much. Too much for me to handle. I don't have the capacity to keep all that knowledge bottled up in my mind.

"Doctor," I call out. I feel my legs give away, and I start to fall backward toward the floor. He catches me in his outstretched arms, and carries me up the stairs.

"He's right. I can't survive like this," I whisper through dry, cracked lips.

"That's why we are going back to the TARDIS. To fix you up just fine," the Doctor answers in his end-of-discussion kind of voice. He sprints back to the TARDIS, me bouncing up and down in his arms. I struggle to keep consciousness, but it's obvious that I'm growing weaker with each moment. I am not fighting for myself though. I'm fighting for someone who needs me. For someone who has always fought for me not matter what the situation. No matter what the risks he was always there. I'm fighting for the single most important thing of my existence. The Doctor. My friend, my mad man, my father. He charges into the TARDIS, and lays me down on the floor. He orders Rose to contact the families of all the teen graduates, and tell them what really happened to their loved ones. Well, _parts_ of what really happened to their loved ones. She hurries away, not asking any questions about my state.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused. I know I'm dying and you're going to do everything in your power to save me, but if it isn't enough don't you dare blame yourself. Don't you dare mourn for me. The only thing you can do for me is to have an amazing, brilliant, completely mad life. And never look back. Never dwell on this moment. That is what I want from you, Doctor," I request in a low voice. The pain in his eyes intensifies, but so does the determination. I see the tears well up, but he doesn't dare let one fall.

"I saved your life twice, and I'm sure as hell going to do it again," he assures with confidence. "Now I'm going to wipe your mind clean of all the things that he put into your head. It's going to hurt, but it will relieve the pressure in your brain." I nod, and he lays his freezing hands on my face. I cry out in anguish as the Doctor pulls the information from my brain. My arms and legs lash out, taking out all my pain on the Doctor.

"Calm down, Ava. I'm almost done," he barks, avoiding my thrashing arms and legs. I can't help it though. It hurts so bad. After all the pain I've gone through today, I just want to roll over and sleep for a thousand years. He pulls away announcing that he's finished. The migraine and hotness of my head ceases, and all is calm. I pant, and wipe the perspiration from my forehead.

"We did it," I murmur. He smiles and brushes away the hair covering my right eye. He helps me to my feet.

"We're not out of the woods yet! Rose, get out here!" The Doctor calls while sprinting toward the console. I trail behind him as he begins to hit buttons, type formulas, and pull levers. Rose appears in the doorway.

"I was in the middle-" she exclaims, but he cuts her off.

"Never mind that, now we need to go into hiding. I did my best to wipe Ava's memory clear, but I wasn't able to erase all the information. He deadlocked some of it into her brain for a reason, and it can't be good. Therefore, we need to use the chameleon arch just for a little while until he is off our trail. He still has a strong mental connection with Ava, and can pick up whether or not she's alive. We want him to think that she's dead. He's got some other plan, and we definitely don't want to be a part of it. We are all going to become humans in the 21st century. Got it? Good. Allons-y!" I look over at him with a smile on my face.

"See you later," I laugh as the contraption encloses my head in its grasp.

"See you later, sweetheart," he chuckles. A jolt of pain wracks my body as all the Time Lord cells mutate into human cells. My second heart disappears, and my exceptional knowledge about the universe is wiped away. I scream due to the agonizing process, and force down the vomit that rises in my throat. Goodbye TARDIS. Goodbye Doctor. Goodbye Rose. I close my eyes, not wanting to think about losing everything I know. Everything I had grown to love. For now I will have to take on a new life, and a new persona. This chapter of my life comes to a close, while another is ready to be written. Though it scares me to death, I know that since the Doctor and Rose will be with me it has to be brilliant. I'm ready. Ready for the new, cleverest me. _Goodbye Avani Genevieve._


End file.
